Given Destiny
by Kita Rayne
Summary: Driretlan was just a normal demon who wanted to live out her life on her own and die that way. Well that all changed when the half vampire Kixston that raised her dragged her to his home village where she started to discover her destiny.This is original
1. Chapter one

Driretlan sat on a cliff over looking a vast valley, the moon was casting a silvery shine on the rivers that weaved in and out of the valley. A tall figure came up behind her and stared at the valley for a moment before speaking in a deep voice.  
  
"We should get going if we expect to make good time tonite." He said dryly.  
  
"I guess that we should be going then."Driretlan sighed getting up and pulling the hood of her black cloak off. Her black and red hair tumbled over her shoulders and fell to her mid-back. She turned and walked passed the figure. "Kixston this had better be worth it."   
  
"It will be trust me. We just have to make it to the Mirojen Province in a week." Kixston said walking behind Driretlan, "Which shouldn't be a problem if we avoid running into to much trouble. Then again the trouble would be a nice break from the daily routine hu?"   
  
"Sure whatever you say, Kixston." Driretlan smirked   
  
The night was still other than the light breeze that filled the air. Kixston walked slowly you could hear his sword clang on against his thigh, he had a bad feeling suddenly set over him as he walked on. There was a sudden rising in the air pressure and the ground quaked a little.   
  
"Please tell me that you feel that too." Kixston said  
  
"Yes I feel it..." Driretlan said with hestitation as the the gruond shook again. There was a loud craking noise as part of the cliff behind them fell off. Driretlan and Kixston exchanged quick looks and they began to run across the feild away from the cliff. The ground behind them split open and a loud rumble filled the air.   
  
"Well at least this way we are making better time." Kixston said as he ran up the feild.   
  
"Yea the time will be better if we live through it." Driretlan snapped lunging forward and taking wider steps. The shaking reached a sudden peak, knocking Kixston and Driretlan off their feet, the the shaking stopped and an errie glow came from the huge cracks in the ground.   
  
Kixston stumbled to his feet, "Well that looks promising." He stammered  
  
Driretlan hopped back onto her feet. "Do you want to stick around and look at what will emerge from that or do you want to get your ass moving?!" Driretlan snapped  
  
Kixston pulled off his hood and shot Driretlan a nasty look, "This is a nice time for you to get snappy. Lets get moving."   
  
Driretlan let out a low growl and walked off up the feild after Kixston. Driretlan and Kixston got about half way across the feild when a shadow dropped down from the sky and landed infront of them.   
  
"Are you leaving so soon? Man and I thought that you would stay for the second half of the show." The shadow laughed hauntingly.  
  
Kixston narrowed his yellow eyes and glared at the shadow. "Driretlan and I would love to stay for your show Asamee, but we have plans." Kixston sneered   
  
Asamee looked directly at Kixston and laughed coldly, "Now your plans have changed."   
  
"I don't have time for this." Driretlan sighed pulling out a sword from under her cloak. Driretlan quickly charged Asamee with her sword in a normal slashing position.   
  
"Driretlan! You idiot!!!" Kixston yelled "You have no idea what you are doing!!"  
  
Driretlan ignored Kixston and slashed right through Asamee. Driretlan spun around and a cloak fell to the ground. "How did I miss?"   
  
"Look up!!" Kixston yelled  
  
Drireltan turned her attention upward to see Asamee with long nails falling toward her. "I can play chicken." Driretlan muttered. She kept an eye on Asamee as he fell toward her, Asamee was about ten feet above Driretlan when he disapeared. "Shit he's gone." Driretlan spun around looking for Asamee.   
  
"What's wrong? Can't keep up with me?" Asamee laughed   
  
"Sure I can, just stop moving for a second." Driretlan chuckled. There was a sharp pain in Driretlan's cheek and three long slashes started to bleed.   
  
Asamee appeared and did a back hand spring before landing. "Okay I stopped moving. Now lets see you do your best, not that it will help your cause."   
  
"You know I can't stand people like you." Driretlan snapped "You are all to cocky."   
  
"Oh right and you are one to talk about being cocky Driretlan." Kixston sighed   
  
"I am trying to fight here, do you mind shutting up!?" Driretlan lunged forward toward Asamee.   
  
This guy is going to retreat the second that I am close enough to attack. Driretlan thought. I will just have to send him Kixston's way.   
  
Driretlan jumped up above Asamee and acted like she was going to try to cut him clean in half.   
  
"Stupid kid." Asamee snarled jumping to the side.   
  
Driretlan smirked and threw her sword at Asamee, it sliced through a section of Asamee's side and tore the clothing around it. Asamee caught himslef from falling back and jumped backwards towards Kixston not taking his eyes off of Driretlan.   
  
That kid how did she know what I was going to do? Asamee thought  
  
Kixston pulled out a broad sword and pulled it tightly into charging position. "Maybe she isn't as stupid as she loooks." Kixston said under his breath.   
  
Driretlan grabbed her set of razor tipped fans off of her belt. She would have to distract Asamee while Kixston finished him off. Driretlan ran forward and gave Kixston the afirming 'go' look.   
  
Kixston charged forward silently and thrust his sword through Asamee's back. A shreik filled the air and slowly died down as Asamee lost strength. Kixston's sword glowed with a grey tint, and it slowly transfered to his body. Driretlan stashed away her fans on her belt and walked up to Asamee.   
  
"How...?" Asamee asked  
  
"Like I said, I can't stand people like you. You always to get too damned cocky, then you just run away from your enmies." Driretlan chuckled, then she looked up at Kixston. "Just end his suffering, You really shouldn't slow the process down."   
  
Kixston just nodded and the glowing in his sword brightend as he took the rest of Asamee's energy.   
  
Driretlan shook her head and walked to retrive her sword out of the ground. "Discusting." She growled as she pulled it out of the ground. "I hate the way vamp blood clots." Driretlan sighed and took the edge of her cloak and wiped off the blood. Driretlan walked up the feild and due north. Kixston joged up behind her and resheathed his sword.   
  
"That should be the very last time that we ever see him." Kixston said dryly brushing his shaggy silver bangs out of his eyes.   
  
"Are you sure that you took all of his energy this time, you thought that you killed him last time."  
  
"Yea, I got his energy and I cut his head off just incase." Kixston explained.   
  
Driretlan and Kixston walked away from Asamee's body and their miny battle feild. A long shadow was cast above Asamee's body as a winged figure landed with a soft thump, his yellow eyes glowed mysterously. He was standing with his back to the moon and he chuckled to himself. "Well now that I am here i might as well have fun..... I wonder how much it has all changed." The figure spread his wings and took off into the darkness of the night.  
  
Bright light shone inbetween the trees and cast shadows on Kixston and Driretlan.   
  
"Are we just going to walk the day through?" Kixston asked in a nervous tone.   
  
"We will make better time that way.Do you need to stop for somethig?"   
  
"Yea I need to stop for the sunlight...I would rather that we walk at night." Kixston said  
  
"You aren't going to burst into flames are you?" Driretlan asked sarcasticly  
  
"No of course not. I am only half you know." Kixston snapped "I just am not to keen to the idea of walking in it."  
  
"Well this forest should strech for another good ten miles or so...when we reach the end of it we'll stop until nightfall, but then we will have to make up time again." Driretlan explained  
  
"Yea, I know that we will have to make up time. I am the one who has traveled this route before, so don't tell me what we have to make up and not make up." Kixston said angerily  
  
Driretlan shook her head and sighed. "Allright I will remember that in the future." Driretlan put her hands behind her head and hummed a little tune.   
  
"You like that song don't you?" Kixston commented.   
  
"Yea." Driretlan mumbled   
  
"I noticed that when ever you get bored you start to hum it." Kixston added "Your brother taught it to you did he not?"   
  
"Yea....but that is old news." Driretlan sighed "You have to get over the past don't sometime."   
  
Kixston started to whistle the tune as Driretlan hummed it. It was an odd little melody that was sounded haunting.  
  
Driretlan stopped humming and looked at Kixston, that melody was so easily stuck in his head it was not even funny. Now he would be whistling it all day.   
  
The only noise in the forest was coming from Kixston whistling, until a loud crash filled the air.   
  
"Should we go take a look?" Driretlan asked   
  
"Sure, it sounds like it is right on our way." Kixston said running toward the noise.   
  
Driretlan followed Kixston weaving in between the trees running toward the noises. When they drew near the noises the forest adbruptly ended into a clearing. The clearing was freshgly made and was filled with hundereds of stumps from once beautiful tees. In the middle of the clearing there was a girl with long brown hair wearing a kimono top that aws tied at the waist with the bottom cut off at the knees. She was holding a huge shuriken and was standing on a stump facing an ugly human like monster. The monster charged forward and the girl gracefully dodged to the side and threw her shuriken into the monster's back right in between what appeared to br it's shoulder blades. The monster stumbled forward from the impact, and the girl launched herself forward from the stump. She landed on the monster's back and pulled out her shuriken before launching herself backwards off of the monster. The girl made a skillful landing on a stump.  
  
Kixston was standing in watching the fight with alot of interest.   
  
"You might as well be drooling all over yourself." Driretlan muttered, "Geez you act as if you have never seen some one fight before."   
  
"I have never seen someone fight like that before.." Kixston smirked  
  
The monster turned back towards the girl and started to stagger forward. The girl held her shuriken in throwing position awaiting the perfect moment to throw it. As the monster staggered closer the girl threw the shuriken with deadly force, the shuriken met the monster's throat about half way across the clearing. Then it still had enough force to drag it to the edge of the clearing and pin it to a tree. The girl let out a sigh of relif as the monster twitched and disinegrated. The girl walked across the clearing to retrive her weapon, she pulled her shuriken out of the tree and slid it into a holster on her back. There was a shiney deep green stone in the pile of ashes left by the monster, the girl bent over and picked it up.   
  
"Now I can take this back to the village where it belongs." The girl said in a satisified tone.  
  
"I am going to speak to that fighter, it won't take long." Kixston said jogging out into the clearing and up to the girl.  
  
"Oh sure now you don't care about the sunlight." Driretlan muttered walking slowly out of the forest.  
  
"My name is Kixston." Kixston smirked "That was a nice fight, and you got one hell of a weapon."   
  
"I am Mistress Ichigo. Thank you for the compliments." Mistress Ichigo said. "I like my weapon too."   
  
Driretlan waved as she approached. "Hey." She sighed  
  
"Oh sorry i forgot to introduce the slowpoke, that's Driretlan." Kixston said pointing at Driretlan as she sat on a stump.   
  
"Hello." Mistress Ichigo said waving.   
  
"Hey, so I guess that Kixston introduced himself allready, well I guess that we will be back off again. We have to keep good time if we are going to get to the Mirojen Province by the end of the week."   
  
"Really your traveling too." Mistress Ichigo smirked "I am a traveler, I just have to return this to a village before I can get on my way again."   
  
"Where is the village at?" Kixston asked   
  
"North of here." Mistress Ichigo said  
  
"Then why don't we go with you to the village, I need some better company than him any way." Drirtlan chuckled  
  
"Oh I see how it is, you run into a girl and then all of the sudden i am nothing but back ground noise." Kixston said  
  
"Yea, pretty much. It may sound like I am being rude to him, but if you had traveled with him for as long as I have you would understand."   
  
"Oh I know how you feel." Ichigo laughed "I have been there, I think that it would be good to have some company for a change."   
  
"Okay now that it is settled ladies how about we head out." Kixston said  
  
Driretlan hopped up and brushed off her cloak and started to walk out of the clearing heading north while talking to Ichigo. Kixston lagged behind a little bit not wanting to speak up and make a total idiot out of himself.   
  
The village wasn't that far north of the clearing, so they arrived there before it was even midday.The village was fairly small, it only had a few houses and a field with crops.   
  
"I am gussing that this is it." Kixston said.  
  
"No we are just stoping here to smell the flowers." Driretlan smirked  
  
"Well i don't see any flowers." Kixston sighed looking the landscape over once.  
  
"Umm....Kixston I think she was being sarcastic." Ichigo said  
  
"That figures."   
  
Driretlan chuckled and shook her head. "Well this is where we drop you off, right."  
  
"Sure i guess. Unless you want me to continue on with you."   
  
"I think that it would make the trip better. I am getting tired of little miss sarcasim." Kixston said giving Driretlan a 'what are you going to say to that' look.   
  
Driretlan shrugged and walked on with Ichigo leading the way. Ichigo walked up to the largest house in the village and knocked on the door. An old wrickled man answered the door and smiled a bit.   
  
"So you have brought back our guardian stone, mistress Ichigo." The old man said   
  
"Yes I did." Ichigo smirked digging the stone out of her pocket. "Here it is sir."   
  
The old man took the stone and handed Ichigo a bag of food that he picked up from beside the door."This is all my village could give for payment. I hope that it is substantial payment."   
  
Ichigo took the bag and smiled "It is just fine. I had to get food somewhere."   
  
"I am glad that you apricate it. Thank you for your services." The old man said walking out onto the street. Ichigo, Kixston and Driretlan walked out of the village, and the old man watched them go.   
  
"Well atleast I have a little bit of something to offer you guys."  
  
"Yea the food is a plus, I haven't had a good meal in days." Kixston chuckled  
  
"Maybe that is because you haven't fed in days, except for that bit of energy you snacked on last night." Driretlan whispered to Kixston, "What are you going to tell Ichigo tonite when we are eating dinner and you are just sitting there looking at the food?"   
  
Kixston growled and stomped ahead of the group.   
  
After Kixston was out of hearing range Ichigo leaned over to Driretlan. "Why is he so grumpy all of the sudden."   
  
"Oh no big reason, he is just mad that I reminded him of the fact that he hasn't eaten in days." Driretlan laughed  
  
"Oh well if he is that hungry we could eat now." Ichigo offered  
  
"Na we'll live. Besides it is best just to not mention feeding to him right now." Driretlan said  
  
Ichigo nodded "I won't say a word...until my stomach over powers my brain."   
  
Driretlan laughed "You are right there, nothing can over power the almighty stomach, it can bring even the strongest men to their knees."   
  
Kixston turned around and amiled reveling to large canine teeth. "Hey don't forget women...you aren't all powerful ya know."   
  
"The guy is right, not even we can beat hunger." Ichigo said  
  
Driretlan nodded and looked ahead, there was a large feild that adbuptly ended into a huge river. At first Driretlan thought that her mind was playing tricks on her, Kixston hadn't mentioned a river. But as they crossed the feild Driretlan relized that this was no trick of the eye. She walked over to Kixston and nudged him with her elbow.  
  
"What is it Drir?" Kixston asked  
  
"Why didn't you tell me about that we had to cross A GAINT RIVER??!!" Driretlan yelled   
  
"A river what the hell are you talking about?" Kixston asked looking at Driretlan like she was insane. "There is no river around here.There is only a little creek that you could easily jump over. You will have no problem with it."   
  
Driretlan sighed then pointed forward toward the river, "I am talkig about that!!It is still called a river right?!"   
  
Kixston snapped his head in the direction of the river, and his jaw dropped when he saw it. "There wasn't a river there twenty years ago!! Where in the hell did it come from."   
  
"Alot can change in twenty years you know." Ichigo pointed out.   
  
Driretlan gave a satisified smirk. "I told you that there was a river there.Well we will have detour now."   
  
"We don't have time for a detour, we will have to cross the river." Kixston smirked   
  
Driretlan froze in her tracks and stared at Kixston as he walked on.   
  
"Whats the matter Driretlan?" Ichigo asked  
  
"N...Nothing i am just not to keen to the idea of crossing that river." Driretlan stammered   
  
"Awww what the matter Dri? Is it possible that the big bad Driretlan is afraid of water?" Kixston teased  
  
Driretlan growled, "I am not afraid of water!!!...I just don't like it."   
  
"Uh-hu I am sure that is your reason." Kixston laughed  
  
Ichigo looked at Kixston and then Driretlan and she got a puzzled look on her face. She jogged up to Kixston and tapped him on the shoulder. "Uh....Kixston why is Driretlan freaking out over crossing a river?"   
  
"She is a fire demon and she hates water, with a passion....she is afraid that she will drown or something if she goes into deep water. "Kixston whispered "Even though she knows how to swim, she still won't get into the water."   
  
"Ohh I see." Ichigo said looking back at Driretlan who was walking with her arms crossed muttering to herself. "Is there really no other to get to Mirojen with out having to cross that."   
  
"Well there is but it would take us a while, this is the quickest way across." Kixston said "Don't worry about her, I have seen Driretlan get out of tighter spots then having to cross a river."   
  
The group walked to the river with Driretlan still laging behind. Kixston waited impatiently at the river bank for Driretlan to come. When Driretlan finally caught up Kixston pulled off his cloak and his sword and started to wade into the water.   
  
"Go ahead and cross there is now way that i am following you." Driretlan muttered   
  
Kixston spun around and glared at Driretlan, "Come on quit acting like a little kid."   
  
"I am not acting like a little kid." Driretlan argued sticking her tounge out at Kixston.  
  
Kixston rolled his eyes and sighed, "Do you have anything that you don't want to get wet Ichigo?"   
  
Ichigo nodded and handed the bag of food over to Kixston.   
  
Kixston looked bag and looked at Driretlan, "How about you Dri?"   
  
Driretlan shook her head and sat down beside the bank.   
  
"Okay have your way." Kixston said gentally tossing his cloak,and th bag of food into the air. A small buble looking thing appeared around the bag and the cloak and Kixston guided the bubble to the oppisite bank with his finger. The bubble sat the stuff onto the ground and then poped.   
  
"Wow that is cool how do you do it?" Ichigo asked.   
  
"Ahh it is simple telekenisis." Kixston laughed wading deeper into the water. "Are you just going to sit there Driretlan?"   
  
Driretlan nodded and drew her knees close to her chest. "I am not crossing."   
  
"Well suit yourself." Kixston muttered.   
  
Ichigo waded in behind Kixston. There was a sudden noise of rushing water as the water level in the river rose up and started to form into a creature.   
  
Driretlan hopped to her feet. "I told you that water was bad news!"  
  
"Shut up." Kixston growled stepping backwards and taking his sword into fighting position.   
  
The water formed into a human looking monster that stood at least twenty feet tall, it formed a spike on it's left hand.   
  
"Great.." Kixston sighed   
  
The monster knocked kixston's sword out of his hand then shot a blast of water at him. Kixston dodged the water by diving underneath the water in the river, but Driretlan was right in it's path. The blast of water hit Driretlan and blasted her back, she luckily caught her balance and shot her self back toward the monster with her sword. When Driretlan went to attack the monster it turned back into water and she fell right into the river, which was a raging fury. The water quickily started to sweep her down stream. "KIXSTON YOU LAZY EXCUSE FOR A HALF VAMP!!! HELP ME!!"   
  
"Can't you swim?" He asked not moving.   
  
"No!!" Driretlan gasped choaking on the water.   
  
Kixston started to run toward her but the water was stopping him, and by the time that he got onto shore she was too far away to get to in time. Kixston shot a worried look at Ichigo who was getting up onto the bank.   
  
"Are we going to follow?" Ichigo aksed  
  
"Yes we have to...I am not leaving my friend to die by drowning." Kixston growled leavitating the stuff from the oppisite bank to him. "Lets go."  
  
Later that night.   
  
Driretlan woke up to a hazy mess that looked like a starry sky. She heard an odd but beautiful melody playing in the back ground. "Did I die." She wondered aloud  
  
"No." A voice said as the music stopped "I saved you." 


	2. Chapter 2 Given Destiny

Chapter Two  
  
"You saved...me?" Driretlan stammered sitting up and looking around. She was in a dense forest and it had to be well into the midnight hours.   
  
I must have gotten washed pretty far down stream. Driretlan thought. And it is all Kixston's fault, if he had listened to me in the first place I wouldn't be here.  
  
A guy with shoulder length black hair that had brown highlights, and deep brown eyes sat at the base of a tree opposite of Driretlan. He put on a friendly smile as he caught Driretlan's gaze. "Yes I did save you.... You were floating in the river at first I thought that you were dead, but you still had a pulse so I revived you."   
  
"Thank you for saving me. Now I can find Kixston and kick his ass for not listening to me in the first place." Driretlan said in a low tone. "Oh I am Driretlan, I should have introduced my self earlier...but you pick up bad habits when you travel with people who have them."   
  
The guy laughed "I am Jin Kenketsu, nice to meet you Driretlan."   
  
"Well now that we have the formalities out of the way." Driretlan sighed "Do you think that you could help me find my way? I have not a clue where I am and I need someone to direct me."   
  
"Sure, we should wait until morning though. You should get more rest before we leave." Jin suggested "but you don't have to rest if you don't want to."   
  
"No you had the right idea I should rest some. I mean a person needs at least one goodnight sleep every couple of days."   
  
Jin nodded ". So. You probably travel a lot."   
  
"Occasionally. I like to stay at my home though, but that is for a personal reason." Driretlan explained  
  
"Oh, I see." Jin said  
  
"Yea unluckily for me every time I go somewhere Kixston drags me into it." Driretlan said "I have spent a lot of my life with that guy and let me tell ya, he can be a pain...just to warn you for if we find him on our way."  
  
"I will help you find your way and your friends don't worry." Jin smirked   
  
"Maybe not. Knowing Kixston he is probably still on his way to the Mirojen Province." Driretlan muttered "He probably figured that I was dead and moved on."   
  
"Well if he did that then he isn't much of a friend now is he?" Jin pointed out  
  
Driretlan chuckled "You would understand if you knew him, besides I don't blame Kixston. He has to get there as fast as he can so he can help his brethren."  
  
Jin just nodded not really sure what to say.   
  
Driretlan sighed and leaned up against the nearest tree. "So how far west was I taken?"  
  
"That depends on where you were to begin with." Jin said  
  
"Oh yea...stupid me. I think that I was in...Where was I?" Driretlan thought aloud "that water must have seeped into my brain."   
  
"I take it that you do not like water."   
  
"I hate it. Stupid Kixston must have thought that I could swim or something trying to drag me across that river." Driretlan mumbled  
  
"You are telling me that your friend tried to cross the river that I pulled you from!" Jin gasped   
  
"Yea why?"   
  
"That part of the river has been possessed with a water monster for nineteen years now. It devours every one that enters the river and steals their energy. The word is that no one has survived an attack from it." Jin replied   
  
"Are you telling me that the thing that nearly got me drowned is a water monster!!"   
  
"Yes."   
  
"I thought that it would have been at least some sort of lower class demon or something but all it was, was a simple monster. I must really be getting weak." Driretlan exclaimed  
  
"You are probably very strong. You said earlier that you could not swim right."   
  
"Yes I did what does that have to do with anything?"  
  
"How can you expect to fight well in water if you cannot swim?" Jin asked   
  
"You do have a point there." Driretlan smirked "You need to travel with me more often, you are great at making someone feel better."   
  
Jin smiled "why thank you."   
  
Meanwhile  
  
Kixston and Ichigo were traveling west along the riverbank.   
  
"Kixston not to be a downer or anything but..What if she is dead? What are you planning on doing then?" Ichigo asked  
  
"I plan on bringing her back to life and kicking her ass once more." Kixston growled "I have known that kid all of her life, I will not allow her to die like her brother.."   
  
"Hu?"  
  
Kixston stopped and sighed "Driretlan had an older brother but he died when she was young, since then I have sort of been her guardian."   
  
"Oh...Did her brother drown?"   
  
"Well sort of, he had been in a fight and he was injured badly. He went to the river to wash off his wounds and something dragged him under...Damn and I thought that between Lunus and I it would be me that died first." Kixston sighed "Well not everything comes out as you plan."   
  
"Wait a second, you said that he was never seen again that does not mean he is dead." Ichigo corrected   
  
"Now you sound like Driretlan. Listen Lunus is dead and that is that; you can't believe such foolish things as that. It can stop you from living a normal life; you wouldn't want to turn out like Drir would ya? Living on lost hopes and other things that will get you nowhere." Kixston asked   
  
"Well...I don't find it hopeless. If you truly believe that they are still alive that is entirely possible."   
  
"So you are telling me that I should believe that Lunus is alive...or that Drir is alive?"   
  
"Both I guess." Ichigo muttered   
  
Kixston chuckled and started to walk along the bank again, "You have your heart in the right place Ichigo and you truly do."   
  
The night was colder than usual and the breeze was a bit stronger. Kixston gazed up at the moon that was starting to wean, his mind drifted off into his memories and he closed his eyes and listened to the river flow.   
  
It had been eight years since Lunus disappeared. Kixston and him were best friends even though they were an odd match, a demon and a Half-vampire, but that didn't stop them. Driretlan was only seven years old then, it seemed like yesterday to Kixston. Lunus and him had just gotten out of a huge battle and they were patching up their wounds on shore. Lunus was worse off then Kixston because Kixston healed rather quickly. Lunus had just gone out into the shallows of the river to rinse off the gashes on his legs when a huge shadow appeared in the water; Kixston had called out to Lunus telling him to get out of the water. But it was too late; something grabbed Lunus' foot and drug him into the deep water. There wasn't much that Kixston could do, but he tried anyway. Once Kixston knew that it was totally hopeless, which took three days, he returned to Lunus' home to tell Driretlan the bad news. She didn't take it well, she was only seven and she had lost her mom, her dad, and her older brother. Kixston went on a guilt trip and he made Driretlan the main priority in life. He took her in and was like another older brother to her, he taught her everything from fighting to how to build well almost anything. After you live for a couple hundred years you pick up a few skills.  
  
Kixston slowly drifted back to reality and he kicked a few rocks into the river. "That is for taking my best friend's little sister." He growled  
  
Driretlan woke up the next morning to a bright ray of sunlight shining in her eyes. She groaned and snaked back into the shadows of the trees.   
  
"So you finally woke up?" Jin said  
  
"Well you could say that...I am not fully awake yet." Driretlan yawned pulling herself to her feet. "How about we sleep for a few more hours."  
  
"It is your choice what we do."   
  
"Don't say that. Don't ever say that. It only results in bad things. You could get yourself killed by saying that." Driretlan said groggily.   
  
Jin laughed "Well I will keep that in mind."   
  
Driretlan smirked and went to adjust her sword on her belt when she realized that her sword was gone. "Shit, it must be in the river somewhere." She muttered.  
  
"Hmmm, what is it?"   
  
"I dropped my damned sword when I was trying to swim. I have to get it back." Driretlan said urgently   
  
"How do you expect to get it back if you cannot swim?" Jin asked  
  
"I will figure it out when I get there. " Driretlan said starting to run towards where she thought where the river was then she stopped. "Uh...which way is the river?"   
  
Jin turned and pointed in the opposite direction of where Driretlan was running.   
  
"Right I knew that." She said running towards where Jin was pointing. Driretlan ran into the forest then she turned to Jin. "You aren't backing out now are you?"   
  
"No." Jin smirked   
  
"Then come on!" Driretlan said running back and grabbing Jin's arm.   
  
Jin stumbled along behind Driretlan as she drug him to the river. Driretlan made an abrupt stop on the riverbank, and Jin nearly fell into the water because he had so much momentum left over.   
  
"Oops sorry about that." Driretlan laughed pulling Jin away from the river.   
  
"It is quite all right." Jin smiled.  
  
Driretlan stared at the river for a minuet as she formed a plan. "It don't even know what part of the river my sword is in.. How in the hell am I supposed to find it?" She muttered.   
  
"What are you planning on doing?" Jin asked  
  
"I am not sure yet but it may have to involve a swim." Driretlan said dryly  
  
"I thought that you couldn't swim."   
  
"I can't. But as much as I hate water, I will have to learn how to swim someday."   
  
"I won't let you dive into that water and drown." Jin said firmly.   
  
"Well what other option do I have?!" Driretlan snapped yanking off her cloak. A dagger fell to the ground as Driretlan tossed her cloak to the side. She snapped her attention to the dagger then she smacked her forehead. "I completely forgot that I had this. Now I might not have to get into the water."   
  
"What does that dagger have to do with your swimming or not?" Jin asked in a confused tone.   
  
"Just watch." Driretlan said crouching down and spinning the dagger. "Where is my sword?"   
  
Jin got an even more confused look on his face as he watched.   
  
The dagger spun around at a very fast rate then it suddenly stopped pointing northeast. Driretlan smiled "Brother was right about you, your are very reliable." She picked up the dagger and her cloak then started to walk.   
  
Jin cocked an eyebrow then followed Driretlan, "If you don't mind me asking this, why were you talking to a dagger?"   
  
"This is no ordinary dagger. It is my trusty 'spell breaker. An enchanted dagger, it is a family alum." Driretlan said proudly, she walked with the dagger in the palm of her hand watching it as if it was a compass. The dagger took a quick spin and pointed to the left at the river. "Found ya." Driretlan smirked and walked to the edge of the river.   
  
"You aren't going to jump in are you?" Jin asked  
  
"Nope I don't have to." Driretlan said examining the water. "All I have to do is remember the little retrieval incantation."   
  
Jin sat down on the riverbank, and pulled out his flute.  
  
"This may take a while." Driretlan sighed "so occupy you."   
  
Meanwhile  
  
Kixston's sword began to glow with a deep green light, and he snapped awake. He grabbed his sword and unsheathed it examining it closely. "Well I'll be damned." Kixston said hopping up. "Well even more damned than I is now."   
  
"What was that Kixston?" Ichigo asked waking up.  
  
"I found Driretlan...well sort of." Kixston said quickly  
  
"What do you mean how do you sort of find someone?" Ichigo asked  
  
"It is hard to explain you'll just have to trust me and follow me." Kixston smirked.   
  
Ichigo stood up and looked at Kixston. "Okay, I'll follow."   
  
"Good." Kixston said starting to run along the riverbank. As he ran west the glow from his sword increased.   
  
I forgot that she still had that sword and dagger with her. Kixston thought. Good thing that she does have them otherwise I would have no clue as to whether she was alive or not.   
  
"Kixston, what is going on with your sword?" Ichigo asked running beside Kixston.   
  
"A spell. This sword is part of a set of three weapons that are all linked together. Driretlan has the other two weapons, and she must have activated one of them." Kixston said "now this sword is acting like a homing device, the closer I get the stronger the glow."   
  
"I get it."  
  
The only problem with this situation is which weapon she activated. Let's just hope that it was spell breaker not the Terrifen. Kixston thought. Other wise we will have a problem on our hands.  
  
Later on  
  
Driretlan had finally, after about twenty different attempts, remembered the correct spell to retrieve her sword.   
  
"Well Jin now that I have this baby back, we can get moving." Driretlan announced walking along the riverbank going east. "Let's just hope that we can catch up with Kixston."  
  
"Maybe we will run into him half way." Jin smirked   
  
"Maybe...or maybe that monster thing killed him. You never know." Driretlan chuckled  
  
"You are an optimist."   
  
"And you are sarcastic, so we are even." Driretlan added.  
  
Jin and Driretlan walked east for about another hour beside the forest before it dead-ended into a vast field.   
  
"Well we must be getting close to where I fell in." Driretlan muttered.   
  
But there is still no sign of that bum Kixston. Driretlan thought. He probably moved on with out me.  
  
Jin noticed two figures running toward them. He tapped Driretlan on her shoulder breaking her train of thought. "Would either of those people happen to be your friend?" He asked  
  
Driretlan stared forward and recognized the figures as Kixston and Ichigo. "That is them!" She yelled running toward Kixston and Ichigo. "Come on Jin they won't bite." Driretlan stopped in her tracks "Well Ichigo won't...never mind, just come with me."   
  
Jin shrugged and ran with Driretlan towards Kixston and Ichigo.   
  
Kixston ran up to Driretlan and glared at her. "What the hell happened to your face? Did that guy do it to you?!!" Kixston snapped staring at Jin.   
  
"No Kixston Asamee happened to my face remember?" Driretlan corrected. "That is Jin he saved me."   
  
"That kid saved you? Is that a joke, he looks barely big enough to pick up my sword." Kixston laughed   
  
"I am not a kid." Jin growled "and for your information I did pull Driretlan from the river."   
  
"Well that is a shock." Kixston laughed  
  
"Shuts up Kixston leave him alone. You have no right to be picking on him." Driretlan snapped   
  
"You know what Drir that kid should have just let you drown it would save me a lot of trouble." Kixston sneered  
  
"Well if I am so much trouble then why didn't you just move on with out me?" Driretlan asked   
  
"Because I forgot how much of a pain you were." Kixston replied defensively. "I don't know how I forgot that you were a pain but I did."   
  
"I am a pain?! What about you, all you do is yap, yap, yap!" Driretlan yelled "it is a wonder that someone hasn't closed that big mouth of yours permanently!"  
  
"I have a big mouth look who is talking." Kixston snarled "How about you do me a favor and jump back into the river."   
  
"Why should I do you a favor? You are just a jerk. I don't even know why I traveled with you."   
  
"I don't know why you did either; I don't even know why I invited you to come." Kixston growled  
  
"Well then I will just go back home! And you can travel with Mistress Ichigo, to the Mirojen Province!" Driretlan yelled   
  
"Good! She is better company than you are anyway! I hope that something kills you on your way home." Kixston yelled back before stomping off in the direction that he came.   
  
Ichigo watch Kixston as he started to stomp off then she walked up to Driretlan. "If it is worth anything I am glad that you are okay." Ichigo smiled "and Kixston did care, I don't know what got into him."  
  
"His stupid vampire pride. That jackass, Oh well. You had better go catch up with him." Driretlan sighed "Thanks for caring about me."   
  
"You're welcome." Ichigo yelled over her shoulder as she ran to catch up with Kixston.   
  
"What are we doing now?" Jin asked   
  
"Well I am going to head home. You can follow if you want." Driretlan said walking up the river.   
  
Jin nodded and followed Driretlan up the river.   
  
Kixston and Ichigo were only about twenty feet ahead of Driretlan and Jin. Kixston was walking muttering to himself.   
  
"You were very rude to her." Ichigo pointed out. "Maybe you should apologize."   
  
"Apologize?!" Kixston yelled "No way in hell. She should have drowned and saved me the trouble."   
  
"You need to decide whether Driretlan is your friend or not." Ichigo said ignoring what Kixston said "Last night you were set on finding her and now you want her to die? What kind of friend are you?"   
  
"The kind that is tired of listening to her mouth. Only if you have known her as long as I have then you would understand."   
  
"Why didn't you just get rid of her before if you are so tired of her mouth? I think that you should swallow your pride and look at the situation properly." Ichigo said jogging in front of Kixston.   
  
Kixston glared at Ichigo and thought over the situation. He finally stopped and waited for Driretlan to catch up.   
  
"I don't want to hear it Kixston." Driretlan said walking past him.   
  
"I am sorry that I was a jerk, I am glad that you are okay." Kixston muttered   
  
"What was that?" Driretlan asked   
  
"You heard me." Kixston growled "Now can we please get on our way to the province. We have a lot of time to make up for."   
  
Driretlan smirked "okay. As long as we don't have to cross that river, or any other large body of water."   
  
"Why don't you just jump over the river?" Jin asked "could you jump that far?"   
  
Kixston looked at Jin then Driretlan "Why don't you just jump over the river Drir. I have seen you jump gaps about that size."   
  
Driretlan's face lost all of its color, and she froze."Me jump that..."   
  
"Yea you can do it." Kixston said "that way we don't have to deal with that water monster."   
  
"But...I...." She stammered "What if I fall in?"   
  
"Well if that happens then shrimp here can save ya." Kixston smirked "You will be fine don't worry."   
  
"Easy for you to say, you can swim." Driretlan growled   
  
Ichigo, Jin and Kixston sat on the bank trying to convince Driretlan to cross. Kixston was ready to just throw Driretlan in the river but he withheld the urge.   
  
"Just jump across before I throw you in." Kixston snapped "Give me your weapons and you cloak and go already! You are such a wimp when it comes to water."   
  
"Well I have good reason to dislike water." Driretlan said defensively.   
  
"For once ignore your stupid fear and jump!" Kixston yelled   
  
"It is not a fear!"   
  
"Then prove it and jump!" Kixston snapped   
  
"Fine I will." Driretlan bit back. She backed up about twenty feet from the bank and got a good running start for her jump. Driretlan ran and jumped the river landing on the other side safety.  
  
"Well now that, that is done." Kixston muttered. He tossed Driretlan's stuff into the air and floated it into her arms. "Okay guys' do you think that you can jump it or are you going to wade across?"   
  
"I will jump the river." Jin smirked   
  
"Me too." Ichigo said.   
  
"All right then, let's get moving." Kixston urged   
  
Jin backed a good ten feet away from the bank then ran and jumped. At first it looked as though he wasn't going to make it, but a huge gust of wind arose and pushed him to the other side safety.   
  
Both Ichigo and Kixston made it to the other side with out a hitch. Then the group started to walk north again.   
  
I just hope that my being delayed didn't cause any problems among my brethren. Kixston thought. I wonder what had them so worked up anyway. In the message that I got, they sounded horribly desperate like Satan himself had come and condemned them.   
  
"Well Kixston with our delays how late are we going to be?" Driretlan asked   
  
"I am not sure, it depends on our road ahead. A lot has changed in twenty years. I am not completely sure if the same route will be there." Kixston said bluntly  
  
"Do you think that there is a short cut that we can take?" Driretlan asked   
  
"I don't know." Kixston sighed   
  
"Do you know of a short cut to the Mirojen Province Jin?"   
  
"Sorry, I don't know of one. If we find a village we can ask the locals." Jin suggested   
  
"Well what exactly are we looking for a short cut through?" Ichigo asked "is there a big swamp or mountains ahead?"   
  
"There is neither...." Kixston muttered "I think that we are pretty much all set for now."   
  
The day quickly turned to night and the field also quickly turned into a dense dark forest. The forest had an eerie feel about it that no one in the group really liked or welcomed for that fact. Moon light spread through any hole that it could find, like it was reaching for the ground. And a fog slowly began to creep through the trees as the creatures of the night began to stir.   
  
"Kixston." Driretlan whispered "Are they're any of your kind out in these woods?"   
  
"I don't know Driretlan are there any of your kind?"   
  
"This is a serous issue Kixston. I am not to keen to the idea of having all the blood in my body drained." Driretlan snapped   
  
"If any of them come go hide behind your little rescuer." Kixston sighed looking through the trees to check for any movement   
  
"I think that we should offer you as a sacrifice to them." Driretlan mumbled angrily.  
  
A shadow moved quickly in the trees in front of Kixston and then two other shadows followed it.   
  
Kixston froze and put his arm out to stop Driretlan and the others from walking on. "There is something up there. Something that is moving quite fast."   
  
"What do you think it is?" Ichigo asked   
  
"I am not quite sure." Kixston said  
  
"Well whatever they were they moved passed us, so let's go on." Driretlan suggested moving Kixston's arm and walking on.   
  
Kixston started to object but he shut up and followed.   
  
As they walked there was a swooshing sound periodically. It sounded like someone moving very quickly in the trees. Kixston was very cautious as he walked making sure that there weren't any traps on the ground that could snag someone. There was a loud crash and everyone jumped as a tree fell to the ground.   
  
"Well we are all a bit jumpy." Jin laughed  
  
"But for good reason." Kixston added   
  
A gust of wind moved through the group as a shadow flew by. There was a sound like ripping cloth as a long cut appeared across Kixston's arm. Kixston quickly pulled out a small dagger and threw it into the foggy forest. There was a deep thump noise then a shadow fell from a tree limb and landed in front of Ichigo and Jin. Kixston ran over and examined the shadow.   
  
"Damn it is a scout." Kixston cursed   
  
"A scout for what?" Driretlan asked   
  
"I am not quite sure for what exactly."   
  
"Then how in the hell do you know it is a scout?!" Driretlan snapped   
  
"By the clothing and the weaponry. It was mostly likely some sort of hired scout. Someone that isn't normally on the payroll." Kixston explained   
  
"Well that makes sense." Ichigo said  
  
Two more shadows appeared in the trees in front of Driretlan, these shadows weren't moving they were standing still.   
  
"Thank you for helping me catch that one." One of the shadows said walking forward. "It was starting to bug me."   
  
The two shadows approached the group. As they got closer you could tell that they both were girls.   
  
"Who would you two be. And who was this scout working for?" Kixston asked   
  
"I can answer your first question but I am not sure on the last one." The girl said "I am Darkwolf and that is Hotaru."  
  
"So we are still at a loss about the scout." Kixston muttered   
  
"Kixston I doubt that the scout was after you anyway so why does it matter?" Driretlan asked   
  
"It just does." Kixston growled.   
  
"Whatever." Driretlan sighed "I guess that we should introduce ourselves."  
  
"Or you could go on arguing among yourselves either way it is just as entertaining to me." Hotaru said  
  
"Wow Drir, she reminds me of someone I know." Kixston laughed   
  
"Shut up." Driretlan growled "I am Driretlan, that oaf is Kixston and the two hiding in the fog behind us are Ichigo and Jin."   
  
"Nice to meet you two." Kixston smirked "Now if you don't mind we shall be going."   
  
"Watch your selves there are things in these woods that take people all the time." Darkwolf warned  
  
Kixston shrugged and walked on, Driretlan on the other hand stood there giving Darkwolf a puzzled look.  
  
"What kind of things? Is there a.." Driretlan asked   
  
"You say the 'R' word or the 'W' word and I will hurt you." Kixston threatened   
  
"I was just going to ask. You know it never hurts to ask people things like that." Driretlan said "As I was saying what is in this area."   
  
"Oh nothing much, just some sort of creature that destroys entire villages and causes mass chaos." Hotaru sighed   
  
"Sounds like my kind of creature." Driretlan laughed  
  
"We will be sure to watch out for this monster thing. Now lets move." Kixston Urged walking off into the fog.  
  
"Yes sir." Driretlan muttered   
  
"Where are you headed?" Darkwolf asked   
  
"The Mirojen province. Do you know of a short cut?" Driretlan asked  
  
"Well I do but it is sort of..." Darkwolf started   
  
"A total short cut. It will knock two or three days off of your trip." Hotaru interrupted "After the next village you there is another forest. Instead of going all the way through it you cut east that way you avoid that annoying set of hills, and you get there quicker."   
  
"Really..." Driretlan said suspiciously  
  
"Yes really. I would go catch up with that guy and tell him." Hotaru insisted   
  
Driretlan nodded and raced after Kixston, Jin followed close after and Ichigo gave Hotaru an untrusting glare before following. Once Driretlan and the others were no longer in hearing range the winged figure from the field landed behind Darkwolf. The fog faded and the figures features were more noticeable. Darkwolf had long silver hair and magenta eyes with blue slits for pupils. She wore a spike collar, and a blue fighting uniform that had purple slits in the sleeves. Her ears twitched as the winged figure spoke.   
  
"That was very good you two."   
  
"Thank you Johnny it was no problem." Darkwolf sighed  
  
Hotaru smirked and brushed her blue hair out of her violet eyes. She wore a simple black fighting outfit with a blue vest over it. "That was too easy. Do you think that they will go through the graveyard?"   
  
"I am certain." Johnny smirked, his yellow eyes brightened at the thought of his plan succeeding. He ran his fingers through his black spiky hair. "Well ladies you must excuse me. I have to go set up the rest of this operation." Johnny spread his black wings and took off into the night just as quickly as he came.   
  
"Lets just hope that it all falls in line as planned." Hotaru said.   
  
"It will don't worry. And if it doesn't it isn't our fault we played out part." Darkwolf muttered walking off. "Well for now we did."  
  
Day broke over the land and the rays of sunlight danced on the leaves in the forest. Kixston had kept the group walking all through the night, and according to him they would make better time if they walked all day too.   
  
"Kixston have you ever heard of cruel and unusual punishment?" Driretlan asked   
  
"Yes I have. Why do you ask?"   
  
"I just wanted to make sure that you were familiar with the term so I can enact it on you after I get some sleep." Driretlan yawned  
  
"Well Drir that will have to wait a few days for that." Kixston said. "We have to make good time on this."   
  
"I'll show you good time. I will take it and shove it up your ass." Driretlan said underneath her breath.   
  
"Why don't we take the route that Hotaru suggested?" Jin asked "it should save us some time."   
  
"Yea! I forgot about that Jin, thanks for reminding me." Driretlan smirked "There is supposed to be a short cut after the next village that we come to. It is supposed to cut a few days off of our trip."   
  
Kixston spun around and looked at Driretlan, "I am not risking anything on a 'supposed to' I would rather go the long way then run into a dead end."   
  
"I agree!" Ichigo added "there might be something dangerous in that direction."   
  
"Well if there is I will kill it plain and simple. Besides Kixston don't you want to get there faster? This is your brethren that we are talking about, so what ever you choose I guess I will have to stick behind." Driretlan said  
  
"Good then it is settled we will stick to my path." Kixston said firmly.  
  
Damnit I was sure that quilting him into it would work. Driretlan thought. I am just going to have to try a different approach. I can't go on for days with out sleep; it weakens my fighting ability.  
  
"Kixston we should at least ask some other locals about it before we turn the short cut down." Driretlan coaxed   
  
Kixston took a deep breath and started to say something but stopped.   
  
It isn't going to do me any good to argue with her. Kixston thought. Her skull is thick and she is horribly ornery. I will just agree to her terms so she will shut up.  
  
"Fine we will ask around but if I am not satisfied we will go my way got it?"   
  
"Got it Kixston." Driretlan smirked   
  
I hope that we end up going Kixston's way instead of taking that short cut. Ichigo thought. I really don't trust either of those girls that we met up with. There was just a strange aura about them.  
  
When the group got to the village there wasn't much time to ask that many questions because the village was up in flames. People were running around panicked and screaming.   
  
"Are we going to do something or just stand around?!" Driretlan snapped  
  
"Lets go in and help, I want my question answered and a bunch of corpses won't answer very well." Kixston growled running into the village.   
  
Driretlan and the others followed but they all split up going off to help with different things. Driretlan was at a loss of what to do, she was used to creating fire not putting it out.   
  
"Damn how come I always get into these situations." She grumbled  
  
There was a loud noise then the sound of rushing water. Driretlan jumped as it started to rain. Driretlan looked around and saw a woman standing ontop of one of the roofs.   
  
The woman jumped off of the roof and landed onto another one. She had long brown hair and wore loose black clothing that flowed in the light breeze. As soon as the fires were all put out she simply disappeared and it stopped raining.   
  
A voice rang out in Driretlan's ears, "Go find the missing children."  
  
Kixston and the others met up with Driretlan who was staring off into the distance.   
  
"Drir, we have to get moving." Kixston said  
  
"Not until we find those kids." Driretlan said  
  
"What?" Kixston asked   
  
"There are kids missing we have to find them." she said urgently.   
  
"We don't have.." Kixston started   
  
"I will go with you." JIn volunteered.   
  
Kixston let out a low growl. "Lets make this quick. Where did they go missing at?"   
  
Driretlan felt something pull her east like a sixth sense telling her where the kids were. "We go east to find those kids."   
  
Everyone nodded and they headed east right towards where Hotaru had directed them.   
  
Johnny stood on a tree branch watching the group head out. "Pch, that was simple. I wonder if they will make it through?"  
  
A cloaked figure stood at the base of the tree. "They will be eliminated then they can no longer interfere. Especially that Kixston...he will suffer great pain for meddling in the past." 


	3. Chapter Three GIven Destiny

Chapter Three  
  
Driretlan and the others headed east towards where the missing children were supposed to be. As they went on Ichigo got an odd feeling in the pit of her stomach.   
  
Isn't this the direction that Hotaru told us to go? Ichigo thought. There is something that isn't right about this. I doubt that there are really any missing children. I bet that Driretlan made this up so she would get her way...no she isn't that self-centered. Maybe there really is someone in trouble, but how did she know that those kids were missing.   
  
As the group traveled eastward dark clouds rolled in. The lively rolling forest turned into a forest full of snags and dead plants.   
  
"Well this scenery has changed quickly." Kixston pointed out.  
  
We are in for some trouble. Kixston thought. I remember this place from the past. If I am not mistaken around here somewhere there is a large graveyard. And inside that place is where she'll be. If she hasn't died after six hundred and sixty-six years.   
  
"Dri, are you totally sure that there are kids out here?" Ichigo asked   
  
"Not really. But nothing in life is for certain." She muttered   
  
The forest came to an end putting the group in front of a large field filled with tombstones. The air was deathly still and the only noise was a distant creaking sound that sent a chill down the spine.   
  
"Well when I was a kid we liked to play in places with living things. But I guess that you could also take this approach." Driretlan laughed   
  
"What are you talking about you still are a kid." Kixston smirked  
  
"Maybe compared to a geezer like you." Driretlan snapped   
  
"Do I look like a geezer to you?" Kixston asked   
  
"Can we please be serious you two?" Ichigo asked "this place is creepy and I want to leave as soon as possible."   
  
"Yes, those children can't be helped if you two are fighting." Jin added.   
  
Driretlan let out a long sigh "your right lets get looking."   
  
"Well direct us, you were the one who drug us out here in the first place." Kixston said  
  
Driretlan tried to home in on the feeling that she had earlier but it was gone. "They have to be here somewhere." She muttered "Look around guys they have to be here somewhere."   
  
Everyone nodded and started to look around the tombstones for any sign of the children. Driretlan walked up to a small building that looked like a crypt that had the door wide open. She slowly started to creep down the stairs into the dark underground. The building was obviously old because even the cement steps down into the crypt were breaking apart. One of the steps gave way and Driretlan went tumbling down. When she hit the bottom she banged her head against the ground hard. She felt the familiar feel of blood trickling down her forehead. There was a sharp pain in her left arm and Driretlan jumped to her feet.   
  
"Oh disgusting. Living blood." A voice snarled   
  
"What the hell!?" Driretlan gasped backing up.   
  
A figure moved in the darkness in front of Driretlan as her eyes finally began to adjust. The door on the crypt slammed shut and Driretlan's eyes had to refocus to catch the figure.   
  
"You look like you would make a good snack, once dead that is." The voice cackled   
  
Driretlan felt a sharp object come dangerously close to her neck causing her to jump backwards and break through the crypt door. She landed and took a fighting stance grabbing her sword with one hand. "What the hell do you mean once I am dead? What kind of sick creature are you?!" Driretlan demanded   
  
The figure jumped out of the crypt then landed on top of it. The figure was a woman who had black hair with white streaks and pure black eyes. "I am not a creature kid. I am your worst nightmare." She laughed   
  
"I have seen far worse then you in my dreams, although none ever threatened to eat me."   
  
"I wouldn't eat you in your current state. Do you listen to anything that is said to you kid?" The women   
  
"I try not to listen to people that I am about to kill." Driretlan said smugly  
  
Kixston heard voices from where he was in the graveyard. "Oh shit." He cursed running toward where Driretlan and the woman stood. "No....Driretlan get away from her!"   
  
"No way. She bit a chunk out of my arm! I am gonna kill her!" Driretlan growled   
  
"Well, well, look what dragged itself back here." The woman laughed "I figured that you would be long dead by now Kixston."   
  
"I could say the same for you Gothic but you are still alive and eating I see." Kixston snapped   
  
"I didn't mean to bite her, I thought that she was a corpse." Gothic said. "But she will be a corpse soon enough."   
  
"Wait, you know this chick Kixston?"  
  
"Unfortunately." Kixston sighed "Dri, you can't fight her. She is a lot stronger than she looks. You won't win!"   
  
"That sounds almost like what you said to me about Asamee. And he is dead is he not?" Driretlan asked   
  
Gothic jumped off of the roof that she was on and landed on top of a tombstone. "Asamee was weak, even when I knew him. All of the clan is weak; they should have given into my leadership when they had the chance. They believed that the only pure blood was the blood of a living human, I tried to show them that the entire corpse was the proper food but they didn't listen they just left me for dead. That was when my master approached me, he brought me back to life."   
  
"You were absolutely insane Gothic! You didn't care who your little plan killed. You disgraced us all, that is why your were killed." Kixston snapped  
  
Driretlan let out a long sigh, "Touching story you guys really. But I don't have time for this! I need to kill you so I can find those kids! So get down here and fight me Gothic."   
  
"Children...."Gothic chuckled "so that is how you were drawn here. My master can be very clever. There were no children you fool!"   
  
"I knew that there was something wrong about this picture." Ichigo said jogging up behind Kixston, Jin trailed a little bit behind Ichigo.   
  
"You all were brought here to die. My master was tired of your meddling." Gothic smirked "I will eat well for a long time on all of your bodies plus the bodies of those villagers who died in the fire."   
  
"You might get our bodies, but the villagers are safe. We put out the fire in their village earlier today." Kixston laughed "your luck is starting to run out, and it is about to get worse." Kixston drew his sword.   
  
"Kixston I can do this let me fight her. And if she is as strong as you say then you can fight her after I die." Driretlan growled  
  
"How noble." Gothic sneered "You make me sick girl. Prepare to die by the flames from hell itself!" Gothic jumped up and flames shot out from the ground separating the others from Driretlan.  
  
"That figures." Kixston sighed   
  
Gothic landed on another tombstone and glared at Driretlan who was laughing. "What do you find funny?"   
  
"You're stupider than I first guessed. You expect to kill a fire demon with fire. Come now you will have to do better than that."   
  
Gothic hissed loudly and the flames raged up higher. Then she jumped off of the tombstone, lunging at Driretlan.   
  
Driretlan jumped to the side and landed softly, she shook her head slowly.   
  
Gothic spun around and pulled her hands up to her chest. "One thousand needles." Gothic snarled flinging her hands out.   
  
Thousands of tiny needles flew through the air toward Driretlan, piercing her skin on contact. Driretlan stumbled backwards a little bit. "Damn, shouldn't have told her the fire thing so early on." Driretlan muttered collecting herself. The pain from the needles sent a rush of energy surging through Driretlan. She pulled her sword up to fighting position.   
  
"Sorry Kido, but that little thing won't do much to me. I am already dead and I feel no pain from normal weapons. There is no way that you can kill me with that." Gothic laughed  
  
"Well, if you died twice you can die a third time." Driretlan smirked charging towards Gothic.   
  
Gothic jumped right over Driretlan's attack and kicked her in the back sending Driretlan flying forward.   
  
"Damn Driretlan is too slow." Kixston growled "She is screwed."   
  
"I think that she can succeed." Jin smirked "She has an advantage."   
  
Kixston cocked his head and looked at Jin, "Are you blind kid, or are you just stupidly optimistic?" Kixston asked   
  
"Neither watch carefully as she attacks. Driretlan clearly had gained energy from the attacks that were thrown against her." Jin pointed out.   
  
Kixston turned back and watched as Driretlan attacked Gothic again. After Gothic dodged and went to retaliate Driretlan attacked again hitting her target this time. "I'll be damned...it has to be the fire. It is giving her power some how."   
  
"Maybe." Jin said "Or maybe she is stronger than you are giver her credit for."  
  
Gothic cursed under her breath as she landed. "There is something in that weapon..." She muttered "I must take it from her."   
  
"Something the matter Gothic?" Driretlan asked cockily "are you injured? Does it hurt? I hope so."   
  
"You impudent child. You are messing with a force that you cannot possible stop." Gothic hissed rising her arms up preparing for a spell. "Dark prism." There was an eerie flash of darkness then seven different Gothics appeared on top of gravestones.   
  
"Holy shit!" Driretlan gasped   
  
"You can't beat all seven of me." Gothic laughed. All of the gothics started to move quickly in a circle around Driretlan laughing the entire time.   
  
"Do you mind knocking it off; I always hated things that spun."   
  
"Oh come now you will have to do better than that to beat me!" Gothic laughed. All seven gothics charged forward towards Driretlan and attacked her at once.   
  
Driretlan pulled out her fans and was able to fight off three of them but the other four were too much. She was kicked and punched around inside a circle of Gothics like some sort of hackysack. When the beating was finally over Gothic had Driretlan's sword.   
  
Gothic smiled as she felt power run through her from the sword. "Oh yes this is a good little toy you have here. Too bad that it will be used against you." Gothic cackled as she stood near Driretlan's bloodied body.   
  
"Sorry.. Gothic.. You aren't using that against me today." Driretlan smirked standing up. She wiped the blood from her mouth. "By the way thanks for giving me some energy. Now I don't need my sword."   
  
"What! You cocky little.... You truly think that you can kill me? All seven of me?" Gothic laughed coldly "you are a true piece of work."   
  
"Hell I am not stupid.. I know that I can't kill seven of you...but one...I can do." Driretlan said letting spell breaker fall into her hand.   
  
"There is no way that you can break my Dark Prism spell." Gothic snapped "now shut up and get ready to take your death quietly."  
  
"Stupid kid." Kixston muttered "Gothic is right she cannot break that spell unless." Kixston stopped   
  
"What is it?" Ichigo asked "Unless she does what?!"   
  
"She uses that dagger of hers.... But since Gothic has her sword the attack would be useless. Spell breaker and the Terrifen are designed to work together they can't be used against each other." Kixston explained  
  
"Is there some way that we can help?" Jin asked   
  
"No... She is on her own this time...just hope that she has a plan." Kixston said grimly  
  
Think Driretlan, how can you kill her before she kills you? Driretlan thought, You have spell breaker but it can't be used against your sword. Only Kixston's sword can, but there is no way that I can get to it if there is seven of her.... Wait why didn't I think of this before.  
  
"You were right I can't break your spell. So I accept my death now get it over with." Driretlan said in a low tone staring at the ground.   
  
Gothic chuckled "I knew that you would see it properly. You will make a good meal." Gothic charged forward with the Terrifen ready to stab right through Driretlan.   
  
Driretlan snapped her head up and she stared right into Gothics eyes and smirked.   
  
The Terrifen became heavy all of the sudden and Gothic was slowed down enough for Driretlan to be able to jump behind her. "Spell breaker, hex maker." Driretlan chuckled throwing the Spell Breaker into Gothic's back.   
  
The other seven Gothics that were standing on gravestones disapeared leaving one. Gothic stumbled forward a little bit then spun around. "My spell you broke it..."   
  
The Spell Breaker flew back to Driretlan's hand. "You sound shocked. I told you that I was going to kill you again, and that I couldn't kill seven of you. So I got rid of your spell."   
  
"You will pay for that." Gothic hissed dropping the Terrifen. "My last spell you may have been able to break but this one is unbreakable."   
  
"Try me." Driretlan laughed   
  
A deep red aura appeared around Gothic and she started to chant in a low tone. The ground started to shake as Gothics chanting got louder.   
  
"This again...I hate earthquakes." Driretlan growled.   
  
A low moaning sound filled the air and it grew louder as Gothic's aura exploded. Out of the ground sprouted hands and other body parts as corpses began to pull themselves out of their graves. They started to flock toward Driretlan.   
  
"Oh this is just dandy. What the fuck are these things?"   
  
"These are my deceased friends; they just can't wait to get a piece of you kid. Then after they rip you limb from limb I will turn them on your friends."   
  
"All right it is settled after this no more listening to voices in my head." Driretlan sighed   
  
"Try to be more serious Driretlan!!" Kixston yelled "You have to focus or else you are dead!"   
  
"Easy for him to say, he isn't surrounded by dead things." Driretlan grumbled jumping onto a gravestone to get away from the growing number of corpses.   
  
Okay Driretlan another situation that yourself into...it isn't the well maybe this is the weirdest type of enemy that you have fought. But like other things it probably can't live with out a head so get your sword and start chopping. Driretlan thought.   
  
Driretlan jumped off of the gravestone and grabbed her sword. The sea of monsters came walking toward her and she took a defensive stance on the ground. Once the monsters got close enough she took her sword and started chopping off their heads. She used broad strikes that took up little energy because of the great number. The corpses that she didn't attack so quickly started to bite and claw at her cloak ripping it off then they started to go for her skin.   
  
"How does it feel?" Gothic asked "does it invigorate you to be eaten alive?"   
  
"No... I don't like dead things munching on me." Driretlan said as she disappeared into the sea of corpses.  
  
"Shit. Dri! Get out of there!" Kixston yelled backing up and charging at the wall of fire, he tried to jump over it but the fire rose and stopped him.  
  
"Calm yourself Kixston you are next there is no need to get hasty." Gothic said calmly.   
  
Driretlan's dead...I didn't expect that she would actually die...poor kid. Kixston thought. If she had listened to me in the first place then she would be fine. But she was too cocky.  
  
The air grew thick almost because of the tension in the air. The only sound other than heavy breathing, which was coming from Kixston because he was so pissed off, there was only the sound of breaking bones and a noise that sounded like ripping skin.   
  
"This is gross." Ichigo mumbled. "She is being eaten alive."  
  
Suddenly all the noise that was coming from the corpses stopped and it was quiet for a second before a wall of black fire exploded from the corpses. The corpses were blown apart and away. Driretlan's shadow stood up in the flames and then she became visible. She wiped some blood from her mouth then started to chuckle.   
  
"Got any other tricks that you wanna pull before I burn your body to ashes?" Driretlan asked   
  
"I don't need any tricks to kill you. Those were just for fun, but I guess that my fun is over for now." Gothic hissed lunging toward Driretlan.   
  
"That one gets old.." Driretlan muttered as gothic flew toward her. Driretlan dodged to the side of Gothic's attack. "Tell you what Gothic, if you wanna surrender now I'll let you. That way I don't have to waste even more of my time, and you will be spared a lot of suffering."   
  
"You are a very cocky person do you know that? And cockiness gets you nowhere." Gothic growled jumping off a gravestone and launching herself upward. She drew her hands to her chest.   
  
"Again gets old." Driretlan muttered taking her sword and drawing a symbol in the air with the tip. Gothic launched her One thousand needles attack and Driretlan waved her sword in one last swift motion. "Black fire, wave."   
  
A wall of black flames shot up from the ground and dissolved Gothic's needles then sped toward her. The wave crashed over gothic and she tried to shield the attack but failed. Gothic fell to the ground and tried to pick herself up.   
  
"Don't...even...get up. You should...be ashes now...you are lucky I guess." Driretlan coughed. "Damnit that.. Took to much energy...I must be getting rusty.."   
  
Gothic's firewall fell and Kixston tried to run in but Ichigo and Jin stopped him.  
  
"Let her finish this fight." Ichigo said  
  
Kixston reluctantly nodded and watched.  
  
Gothic stumbled to her feet. "That pain was so.... So...real.. No one.. Has ever hurt me that bad.... To bad that you will amount to nothing.."   
  
"Shut up and let me kill you." Driretlan snapped stabilizing her self and rising her sword. "I am going to finish this.." Driretlan charged forward towards Gothic, but just as she was about to pierce the skin Gothic disappeared.   
  
"Sorry kid...I can't let you kill me today.... I have things to do..." Gothic's haunting voice said as it echoed through Driretlan's ears then faded.  
  
Driretlan cursed then fell to her knees, "Just as well...if she wouldn't have done that... I would have killed my self...to get her." She sighed  
  
Kixston, Jin and Ichigo ran up to Driretlan.   
  
"Don't say...a damned thing...I am not dead.."   
  
"But neither is she, you should have listened to me." Kixston said  
  
"But...where is the...fun in that?" Driretlan asked  
  
"I think that you did well. In fact you should take a nice long rest while we clean you up a little bit." Jin smiled  
  
"Yea...sounds good to..Me." Driretlan said slowly right before she passed out.   
  
Jin and Ichigo looked at Driretlan's arms there were covered in bites and there was the occasional chunk of missing flesh.   
  
"We need to find a place where we can clean these properly, Kixston." Ichigo said  
  
Kixston nodded slowly, "yea, and let's find one quick. Because I don't want to waste too much time."   
  
The woman who put out the fires at the village appeared and walked over to the group. "I know a place where you can go to clean her up. And it is closer than that village that you were at earlier."The woman said  
  
"And you would be." Kixston said  
  
"I am Mitzuki. And that is all that you need to know for now." Mitzuki said "we need to get your friend cleaned up before she bleeds to death."   
  
"Well what in the hell are you waiting for lead the way!" Kixston yelled picking up Driretlan.   
  
Driretlan snapped awake to find her self-lying in a small room. "Where, am I?" She muttered "Gees I really have to quit passing out. Every time I wake up I don't know where in the hell I am." Light shone in from a single window and there was one door beside it.   
  
Someone pulled up the cloth that was covering the door and the sunlight shone right into Driretlan's eyes. "So you're awake, I am glad to see that." Jin said stepping inside and letting the cloth drop.   
  
"What made you think that I wasn't going to wake up?" Driretlan asked  
  
"Well you slept for a day and a half already." Jin smiled   
  
"I...did? Whoa, I must have been really drained." She chuckled sitting up. "Man Kixston must be steamed that we delayed him."   
  
"Actually he isn't. The short cut, it worked. Now we are a little bit ahead of schedule." Jin smirked "so you can have more time to rest if you'd like."   
  
"Thanks for caring Jin but I really have to get up and moving. It isn't a good idea for me to stay inactive for a long period of time." Driretlan sighed getting up. She looked down at her once nice wardrobe, torn to pieces. "Well this is a plus my clothes are ruined thanks to that.. Gothic Chick."   
  
"That reminds me of something." Jin said walking back outside. He quickly came back with a canvas bag. "The woman who owns this house is a very good seamstress. She made you new clothing to replace your old clothes." Jin said in an upbeat tone while opening the bag. He pulled out the fighting outfit and showed it to Driretlan.   
  
Driretlan took the shirt and the bag and pulled the clothes out to inspect them. The black short sleeved fighting outfit looked exactly like hers, except for the fact that it had no holes or tears in it. Even the red symbol on the shoulder and back matched her identically. There was even the exact number of red ribbons that Driretlan wore. "Wow this person is good...I thought that my family members were the only ones who could draw this symbol right but this lady she did it." Driretlan muttered. She looked up at Jin. "Do you mind leaving so I can try this on?"   
  
"Oh, of course I can leave." Jin laughed backing out of the room.   
  
Once Jin was gone Driretlan changed into her new clothing. It all fit perfectly not to loose not to tight, even the belt fit right to where the strings weren't hanging to short or to long. Which arose a question in Driretlan's mind. "How in the hell did this lady get my measurements?"   
  
I wonder if they let her measure me while I was knocked out. Driretlan thought.   
  
A mental picture of an old lady measuring Driretlan's unconscious body popped into her mind. Driretlan shook the thought out of her head.   
  
"That's just plain creepy some old lady measuring me while I am out.. Gross." Driretlan muttered walking out of the room. Outside it was really bright and it took Driretlan a minuet for her eyes to adjust.   
  
"Aahh so I see that it fits." An old cracking voice said  
  
Driretlan shielded her eyes from the sun and looked to where the voice came from. There was an old woman with white hair coming out of another small building. The area was like a tiny complex that was all sealed in by walls that stretched up pretty high.  
  
"Did you make these?" Driretlan asked  
  
"Yes I did." The old lady smiled  
  
Driretlan cringed "Uh.. How did you get the measurements right? Please tell me that you guessed or something other than...how measurements are normally taken."   
  
"Don't worry young lady. I took the measurements over your clothes, then compensated." The old woman laughed "I wouldn't have taken them the other way with out your permission first."   
  
Driretlan let out a sigh of relief. "That is good. These clothed fit well, thank you for making them. My old ones were tore up and getting too small."   
  
"I could tell." The old lady said "Your pants ended at your mid calf, and your shirt looked awful tight on you."   
  
Kixston came walking out of the shade of a large tree. "Nah that is how Dri likes to wear her clothes. Ten years old and torn to bits." He laughed   
  
"And Kixston likes to wear his face all messed up on one side." Driretlan growled clenching her fist. "I liked my old clothes, even though they were old and torn."   
  
"That is how you like ever thing. Old and messed up."   
  
"No I don't. Because if I did then I would like you, and I don't."   
  
Kixston started to reply when Jin interrupted him. "Can you two please get along? I hate watching you two fight."   
  
"Aww man you stopped the show." Mitzuki sighed sliding out of the tree and walking over and joining the group.   
  
"You're the chick from the village that put out the fire." Driretlan said  
  
"Yea that was me. Pretty smooth hu?" Mitzuki smirked   
  
"I guess so." Driretlan shrugged   
  
"Well now that you are up Dri. I say that we start to move again." Kixston suggested   
  
"Aww I wanted to stay for a little longer." Driretlan complained   
  
"I think that it is best that you young ones move along. Before the habits of an old woman rub off on you." The old lady said.   
  
"Well you heard it from her let's move out troops." Kixston said triumphantly  
  
"Yes sir." Driretlan sneered "Wait where is Ichigo? We can't leave with out her."   
  
"I am here." Ichigo chimed in. She was standing by the gate waiting for everyone.   
  
"Crap.. There went my excuse." Driretlan muttered   
  
"Driretlan don't you want your weapons before we get moving again?" Jin asked holding Driretlan's sword and dagger. He jogged up to Driretlan.   
  
"You're a lifesaver Jin." She sighed taking her weapons and strapping them on.   
  
"Well that has been proven once already so no use glorifying it." Kixston growled walking briskly to the gate.   
  
Every one walked through the gate except Driretlan and Mitzuki who was standing under the tree.   
  
"Do you want a written invite or something?" Driretlan asked "you can come, you might be of use."   
  
"I'll show her might be of use." Mitzuki muttered following Driretlan out the gate.   
  
The group walked through a dense forest until it was near dusk and the forest ended into another set of rolling plains.   
  
"Well this is going to be fun." Mitzuki said  
  
"Welcome to my world." Driretlan added  
  
"This is terrific now I have to listen to two smart asses." Kixston sighed shaking his head.   
  
Jin laughed; "well I don't mind them really. I think that this would be quite boring with out Driretlan."   
  
"Well you have a warped vision of things kid." Kixston said  
  
"Actually I agree with him." Ichigo added   
  
"Not you too! Great I am being over run by idiots!" Kixston yelled grabbing his head and pulling at his hair.   
  
Ichigo, Jin and Mitzuki all laughed at Kixston but Driretlan just froze because she thought that she heard something. Every one walked ahead not noticing anything. The noise that Driretlan heard was this odd revving noise that she didn't recognize.   
  
"What the hell is that?" She wondered straining her ears to listen to the noise. It was coming from the north, but she didn't see anything in the distance.   
  
Am I hearing things? Driretlan thought. There isn't anything ahead, maybe it is in one of the dips, or maybe the field goes down hill. What ever the case is I am finding out what is making that noise.  
  
Driretlan ran towards the group then passed them going toward the noise.   
  
"What the hell is her deal?" Kixston asked   
  
"Maybe she has to go." Mitzuki joked   
  
"I say that we follow her." Ichigo said.   
  
Kixston nodded and chased after Driretlan. Driretlan ran for about two hundred yards more before she froze. Kixston nearly ran into her when he tried to stop.   
  
"What is your problem Dri?" Kixston snapped   
  
Driretlan didn't answer she just stared off into the distance.   
  
"Hello!" Kixston growled waving his hand in front of Driretlan's face. "Is any one home?"   
  
Driretlan caught Kixston's hand and pointed it forward. "We should take a look at that."  
  
About two hundred yards in front of them there was a girl and something else fighting off these horribly disfigured creatures. The creatures had a human looking body, but it looked as though they had been put through a meat grinder.  
  
"Well it is on our way. And you have been the only one having all of the fun lately." Kixston smirked "Come on guys! We got a fight on our hands."   
  
Mitzuki, Jin and Ichigo all nodded and ran after Kixston and Driretlan.   
  
Ichigo pulled her shuriken off of her back and jumped up tossing in right into one of the creatures. "Bulls eye." She laughed  
  
"I'll do you one better." Mitzuki said, running up to the group of creatures. She took two of the creatures down in quick borage of moves to the pressure points.  
  
Jin got close to the creatures and stopped waiting for them to charge him. When they began to come he brought up a strong wind and ripped up some grass blades turning them into dangerous projectiles that tore right through three of the creatures.   
  
"And the winner of round one is Jin." Ichigo said pulling her shuirken out of the creature and throwing it again.   
  
"Yea but you all are going down in round two." Kixston said cockily slicing one of the creatures clean in half.   
  
The girl and what appeared to be a machine of some sort were also taking out the creatures systematically. But as more of the monsters died more started to come.  
  
"Well this may take longer than I first guessed." Kixston mumbled   
  
"Oh quit whining Kixston. You wanted action did you not." Driretlan said landing after a successful tornado kick that snapped one of the creature's necks.   
  
The revving noise drew closer and the creatures suddenly stopped their attack and turned toward the noise. In the distance you could see someone approaching at a very high rate of speed. As the person got closer you could tell that they were on a motorcycle.   
  
"That is what I heard." Driretlan muttered "what is that thing?"   
  
"That Dri is a motorcycle. It is a vehicle that humans used to use for transportation before the great revolution." Kixston explained   
  
The motorcyclist approached and his figure became more clear, he had whitish hair and only one eye was uncovered. He had two blades on his arms, and chains running from each hand around to his back. As he got closer to the creatures he outstretched one of his arms and cut right through them. They fell to the ground and he turned his motorcycle around and took out the remaining of the creatures on his second run by. He then slid his motorcycle to a stop.   
  
The girl that had been fighting off the monsters started to go toward the guy. "Thanks for your help." she smiled   
  
"Well don't count on me ever helping you again. I did that for my benefit not yours, so don't be all flattered." The guy sneered starting up his motorcycle and taking off back in the direction he came.  
  
"A your welcome would have sufficed." The girl growled stomping over to the machine that she had been fighting with.   
  
"Well you are welcome." Kixston said  
  
"Sorry, that guy was frustrating. I am Sharon and that is SuperX he is a robot." Sharon said  
  
"What in the hell is a robot?" Driretlan asked   
  
"Don't mind her Sharon she is just an uneducated demon." Kixston said  
  
"Uneducated?! What do you mean by that? Are you calling me stupid!" Driretlan snapped   
  
"Well if the shoe fits.." Kixston said  
  
"All right that is enough guys." Ichigo smirked   
  
It was quiet for a minuet, then Kixston spoke up. "Lets leave we have to keep good time."   
  
"You and time I swear." Driretlan sighed  
  
Meanwhile  
  
The cloaked figure was walking through a dark forest towards a water fall. He walked behind the falls and into a small cave. Johnny was waiting at the back of the cave.   
  
"Your creatures didn't do as we had planned." Johnny said  
  
"We also didn't plan for Cronic Hazel to interfere." The figure pointed out.   
  
"I didn't think that he wanted to go against us."   
  
"I doubt that he even knew that we were behind the plan." The figure said pulling off his hood. He had shaggy dark blue hair and vibrant green eyes. "I have a feeling that he was doing it on his own, for fun or something."   
  
"So you don't think that Wing had anything to do with it?"   
  
"No, most likely not. But I can go talk to her if you'd wish." Lunus said   
  
"not yet. We need more time before we start to unfold the final plan." Johnny smirked "How far are they from the province?"   
  
"Only a few more a day or two before they reach the cliffs."   
  
"We will have to stop them after they get there by splitting them up." Johnny said "We have to get each of them while they are alone."  
  
"Do you want me to get Hotaru and Darkwolf on it?"   
  
"Yes, get them right away. Then I will figure out the rest of the plan later." Johnny instructed   
  
"I will retrieve them." Lunus said   
  
"good." Johnny said fading away.   
  
Well after I get Kixston I will have to carry out my own plans. Lunus thought. Sorry Johnny but you helped me get what I want, now I am going to have to withdraw from our deal.  
  
Sharon and SuperX joined the group on their trip, and Kixston was complaining that there was so many people with him now.   
  
"You know Driretlan this started out just you and me." Kixston sighed "now we have all of these people with us."  
  
"Stop your complaining Kixston. I am glad that we have company." Driretlan said   
  
"No your just happy that there is another guy here." Kixston smirked   
  
"No comment on that one."   
  
"Well if you guys want some one to leave I will go." Ichigo added.   
  
"No just ignore him and stay. But I have a feeling that not every one will be able to come into the village with us." Driretlan sighed   
  
"Well I don't know if every one will want to go into a village full of vampires." Kixston said.   
  
"I don't." Mitzuki said "I don't feel like becoming an on tray for some creepy vamp."   
  
"I will go with you." Sharon said "I know that SuperX will want to go."   
  
"I don't know if that is safe. Maybe he should stick with you guys. My brethren do travel out side the village to feed." Kixston pointed out.   
  
It was quiet for a minuet before Kixston spoke again.  
  
"We will be at the outer village by morning. That short cut saved us some time." Kixston said. "The outer village will be the safest place for you guys to stay. All of you will stay there."   
  
"I am not staying anywhere." Driretlan snapped "You asked me to come right, so I am going."   
  
"Well I am not letting you two all of the fun." Ichigo said   
  
"And I am guessing that you also want to go Jin." Kixston said looking over his shoulder at Jin.   
  
Jin nodded.   
  
"So it is back down to four." Kixston sighed   
  
I hope that the village leaders don't have a problem with this. Kixston thought. If they do it will be my head. 


	4. Chapter Four Given Destiny

Chapter 4  
  
The night was a long one, the group was getting closer and closer to the outer village and there had still be no problems to speak of. Which made Kixston even more anxious than he was before.   
  
There is something really wrong here. Kixston thought. This area is normally crawling with monsters and lower level demons. Something is wrong, very wrong. I just hope that the outer village is still there.  
  
"What's wrong Kixston?" Driretlan muttered to Kixston so that the others wouldn't hear. "You have that look on your face again."   
  
"There is something wrong here. We should have run into problems by now." Kixston said quietly  
  
"well maybe the monsters took a coffee break and they will be back soon."   
  
"Not fun Dri. I think that the problem was bigger than I first thought."  
  
"What do you mean by that?" Driretlan asked "How big did you think that the problem was going to be?"  
  
"Well I wasn't sure how big it was I just didn't think that it would be this big." Kixston said "Actually I didn't think that there was going to be a huge conflict on the way here either, but you just like to get into trouble don't you Dri?"   
  
"Don't try to get me into trouble now. I was just asking a simple question." Driretlan sneered "Besides I think that trouble likes me not me liking it."   
  
"Sure that's the case Dri." Kixston sighed  
  
"It is the case Kixston." Driretlan argued  
  
"Now you two quit arguing. I don't wanna listen to it." Mitzuki said  
  
Driretlan sighed, "Well once we get to the outer village you won't have to listen to it anymore."   
  
"And that is bad how?" Mitzuki asked   
  
Kixston froze as he caught a glimpse of the outer village. It looked different and not in a good way. "Oh shit please be in one piece." Kixston muttered racing ahead towards the village.   
  
"What is his problem?" Mitzuki asked   
  
"I think that he was jealous because he wasn't being argued with." Sharon laughed   
  
"I wouldn't be shocked by that." Driretlan sighed   
  
"By the way that you two act, it wouldn't surprise me either." SuperX added   
  
"The kid has a point." Ichigo said   
  
Everyone was walking and talking and Driretlan just kind of zoned out. Then a voice snapped her out of her daze.   
  
[Hey you kid.] The voice said hauntingly echoing inside her brain.   
  
"Who said that?" Driretlan asked turning and looking at the group.   
  
"I did, it wasn't like it was offensive." Ichigo sad.   
  
"No it wasn't you.." Driretlan muttered   
  
[Well that was a no brainier. Do I sound like a girl to you?]   
  
"who are you and what do you want." Driretlan growled   
  
[Fall behind and I would be glad to tell you.] The voice said   
  
Driretlan nodded and slipped behind a tree and watched everyone pass by. "Okay what the hell do you want?"   
  
[I thought that you were no longer listening to voices in your head. You really don't catch on quickly.]  
  
"Well your loss." Driretlan muttered   
  
[Wait...before you go listen, there is a plot to kill you. You can't trust anyone, you'd be better off ditching them and leaving. It is much safer that way.] The voice coaxed   
  
"well you kind of ruined your chances of me believing you after you reminded me about the not listening to the voices in my head thing." Driretlan laughed "But if you are ever in the nehiborhood we should have tea or something." She walked off towards the group laughing.   
  
Lunus materialized behind where Driretlan had been standing. "Damnit. I thought that I would get her with that one for sure." He cursed. "I have to get her first, then the rest will be much easier...unless there is someone in the group that I could use as leverage."   
  
Hotaru appeared behind Lunus. "Well I see that you are still working on your part." Hotaru sighed "I guess that I get some more free time before I am on then."   
  
"Yes you do get some free time." Lunus sighed "Not much though I am forming a plan."   
  
"Ooh a plan." Hotaru teased "sounds threatening."   
  
"It is the end result that counts." Lunus snapped   
  
"Whatever." Hotaru smirked "Any ways, Johnny wants a word with ya. I think that you got into trouble." Hotaru said disappearing.   
  
"I will show her trouble." Lunus grumbled.   
  
Meanwhile  
  
Kixston reached the outer village, and it was different then he remembered. There was a huge wall around it. He guessed that it was there to guard against the Vampires that dwelled in the area. The others soon caught up with him and they just stood there for a minuet.   
  
"Well looks like we will be pretty safe." Sharon said   
  
"Well that is how it appears." Kixston said  
  
"Are we gonna stand around and look at the wall or go inside?" Mitzuki asked   
  
"No we must stand here and stare at this for the rest of our lives." Driretlan joked   
  
"The horror!" Sharon laughed   
  
"Come on try to be serious guys." Kixston said "WE might be walking into a trap of some sort."   
  
"Well then lets go!" Driretlan said in an excited tone   
  
Kixston cocked an eyebrow and looked at Driretlan.  
  
"You want to go into a trap?" Ichigo asked   
  
"She's crazier than I am." Mitzuki muttered   
  
"Well that hasn't stopped us before. Besides I think that with all of us the enemy will have no chance." Driretlan smiled   
  
Kixston let out a long sigh and walked down the small hill that lead to the village. "You had better act better than this when we get to the cliffs, otherwise I am sending you back Dri."   
  
"Whatta jerk." Sharon said.  
  
"Glad that you caught on before to long." Driretlan laughed dryly walking after Kixston. Driretlan reached the outer wall and she stopped behind Kixston. "What is the hold up?"   
  
"I don't know. I think that the gate operator is away." Kixston muttered   
  
"Well, I will get up there and check it out." Driretlan said   
  
"You can't jump that high." Kixston argued   
  
"I know I can't but that is why you are gonna give me a bit of a boost." Driretlan smiled   
  
Kixston glared at Driretlan. "What did you have in mind?"   
  
"You'll see." Driretlan said slyly. She jumped onto Kixston's shoulders then launched herself up to the top of the wall. She landed shakily then jumped onto the platform on the other side of the wall.   
  
"Did you enjoy that Dir?" Kixston asked   
  
"Yea."  
  
"Good cause you'll never do it again." Kixston growled rubbing his shoulders.   
  
Driretlan shrugged looked over towards where the controls of the gate where. There was a really tall guy with short black hair sitting by the controls. He was chuckling and reading some sort of book. There was a huge sword laying beside him and he had high boots and black pants on.   
  
"Excuse me are you the guy who operates this gate?" Driretlan asked   
  
The guy looked up and smirked "I.e. guess that you can say that."   
  
"Well do you mind operating it then? My friends and I have to get moving."   
  
"Oh, sure I can." The guy said standing up and tucking away the book behind light chest armor that hung over a green shirt. The guy was taller than Driretlan first guessed he had to be taller than seven feet tall.   
  
Driretlan just stared at him for a minuet while he pulled the lever that opened the gate. Once the gate was open the guy turned back to Driretlan. "There you go, nice and open for your friends....oh wait, shit I forgot to ask." The guy cleared his throat. "Are you planning on burning, attacking or damaging this village in any way during your stay?" The guy asked in a funny voice.  
  
"Not that I know of, but I am not to sure on Kixston's plans. You will have to ask him yourself." Driretlan laughed   
  
"Well as long as you don't plan on destroying anything I think that we are safe."  
  
"Are you done up there Dri?!" Kixston yelled   
  
"Yes!" She yelled back  
  
"Then get down here! Unless you are to busy flirting with the gates man!"   
  
"I am not flirting with...." Driretlan started   
  
"Kaneda." He muttered   
  
"Kaneda!" Driretlan finished   
  
"Well then get down here!"  
  
"Aww and I was having such a good conversation." Driretlan sighed "Oh well it was nice to meet you. Maybe we will run into you again."   
  
"Hope so, maybe then we can pester Kixston. If he remembers me, we met once." Kaneda explained   
  
"Oh, well that would be fun." Driretlan said jumping down to the ground. "Have fun reading your book!"   
  
"I always do." Kaneda chuckled closing the gate.   
  
Driretlan and the others walked through the town. "So Kixston where do you plan on sending the others?"   
  
"Yea I would like to know where I am staying until you guys get back." Mitzuki said   
  
"We have to find my friend he is charge of this village. He will let you stay with him." Kixston said  
  
"oh that sounds so promising Kixston." Driretlan sighed "I wouldn't want to stay with one of your friends Kixston. I mean look at the chick you knew, she went all psycho and tried to kill me."   
  
"She wasn't a friend." Kixston growled "Aahh there it is."   
  
In front of them there was a fairly large sized house. '  
  
"So this is it eh?" Mitzuki said   
  
"Yes it is now all we have to do is talk Renshu into letting you guys stay." Kixston smirked "Which shouldn't be too hard. Then after that we head for the cliffs."  
  
"Oh yay I am really looking forward to that." Driretlan grumbled.   
  
"Oh be more chipper Dri. I am sure that you will love the experience." Kixston laughed knocking on the front door.   
  
A young woman answered the door, she smiled when she saw Kixston "It is nice to see you again, let me call in my father." The girl said walking off to the other room.   
  
"Well she has grown up nicely. Unlike other people I know." Kixston smirked   
  
"Oh that one hurt." Driretlan said sarcastically.   
  
The young woman came back to the door with a man who looked like he was in his early forties. "Aahh Kixston you have come back, and with so many friends do come in."   
  
Kixston walked in first then everyone else followed him. The house was also big on the inside. The walls were covered in weapons from swords and knives to small guns and brass knuckles.   
  
"I would say that some one has violent tendencies." Driretlan muttered   
  
"Have you ever considered that he might be a collector Dri?" Kixston asked   
  
"No. Maybe the thought just didn't cross my mind because he is a friend of yours and they all have violent tendencies."   
  
"You being the worst out of the whole bunch right?" Mitzuki laughed   
  
Driretlan growled and stomped on.   
  
"I will take that as a yes." Mitzuki chuckled   
  
The group was lead into a large room, this room had the most weapons of all. There wasn't a free space on the wall for anything. The Renshu motioned for the group to sit as he walked behind a large desk.   
  
"I see that you have gotten this place looking better in twenty years." Kixston commented   
  
"Yes, it did take a great deal of work though. I got most of these things from the mainland, where they are working on restoring the old cities." Renshu sighed "But Whether they will ever restore those cities is another issue."   
  
"I think that whatever humans do to pass the time is their business. If they want to try to rebuild what they destroyed then more power to them." Kixston said dryly.   
  
"Well history does repeat itself." Renshu said "But you aren't here about that, are you?"   
  
"No, actually I am here to see if you will let some of my traveling companions stay here while I go up the cliffs." Kixston said bluntly  
  
"I am not sure that it is the best idea. There has been allot going on up there."   
  
"Well that is why I am going. I got a message summoning me to assist my brethren in some matter of great importance."   
  
"Well I wish the best of luck to you then." Renshu smirked "So will all of your friends be staying here?"   
  
"No, Driretlan, Ichigo, and Jin will be accompanying me." Kixston explained  
  
Renshu stood up and looked at Driretlan. "I am guessing that she is related to Lunus." He walked around to the other side of the desk. "What happened to him anyway?"   
  
"My brother died." Driretlan muttered   
  
"Ooh I see." Renshu shook his head "That is a shame."   
  
"It is." Kixston sighed "Well I will be leaving now. Make sure that Sharon, SuperX and Mitzuki are well taken care of until my return. I don't want any accidents."   
  
"The amount of 'accidents' has gone down allot since we got in the wall. You have nothing to worry about." Renshu assured Kixston   
  
"Good. Now lets go."   
  
Driretlan nodded and tagged after Kixston as he left the room.   
  
Them being safe is not the issue. Renshu thought. There is a war about to break up in the cliffs. I doubt that any of them will make it out alive.   
  
Meanwhile  
  
Hotaru appeared in a outside a door way and she was shortly joined by Darkwolf and Lunus.   
  
"I thought that you would already be in there Darkwolf." Hotaru commented  
  
"I do have a life outside what I do for Johnny." Darkwolf laughed   
  
Lunus shook his head "What if you can't have a life because your dead?"   
  
"Well then you are just screwed." Darkwolf laughed knocking on the door.   
  
The door opened "Do come in ladies and Lunus." Johnny said from the back of the room.   
  
Darkwolf, Hotaru and Lunus entered the dimly lit room.   
  
"You sure know how to pick out a meeting place Johnny." Hotaru laughed   
  
"Why thank you Hotaru I do try."   
  
"I say that we get down to business." Lunus said quickly  
  
Johnny nodded. "I have come up with a new plan of attack. The group split up giving us an opportunity."   
  
"What kind of opportunity?" Darkwolf asked  
  
"The attack kind milady. And with the combined forces of Gundam Wing and us there will be no stopping us." Johnny smirked   
  
"So when are we attacking?" Hotaru asked   
  
"At nightfall. We will attack the outer village, and destroy it."   
  
"So you do you want us to kill every one?" Lunus asked   
  
"No spare as many women and children as possible. I may be the devil but even that is a bit to barbaric for me." Johnny replied   
  
"What of Wing? When will she be joining us?" Lunus asked  
  
"She will be joining us before the fight out side the village."Johnny explained "She said to be sure to emphasize the fact that this is only a temporary alliance."   
  
"Well I can change that." Lunus smirked   
  
"Don't do anything that I wouldn't." Johnny added   
  
"oh that is going to keep her really safe."Hotaru laughed   
  
"Got it." Lunus said ignoring Hotaru. "Should we all meet up later?"   
  
"Yes. Before nightfall report back here, I will relay your orders then."   
  
Lunus nodded then disappeared.   
  
"The same goes for you ladies. Unless you would rather stick around and help form the battle plan." Johnny smirked   
  
"I'll pass." Hotaru said leaving.   
  
This fight is going to get interesting. Hotaru thought. I hope that there is some formidable opponent there. That way it won't be a total bore.  
  
Kixston lead Driretlan, Jin and Ichigo up a path that winded up the cliffs. The path was very narrow and they had to walk in single file going up wards, clinging to the cliff wall.   
  
"Oh this is an ideal vacation spot." Driretlan sneered "Come almost fall to your death on your way to a village full of blood sucking vampires who may just kill you! Oh yea I will be sure to advertise this place heavily."   
  
"Shut up Dri. You could be optimistic for once." Kixston snapped   
  
"Okay I will be optimistic. It is a beautiful day and I am on a narrow path on the side of a cliff and I think that the path way may crumble at any second, but hey I am being optimistic! I love the fact that I could fall to my death at any second!" Driretlan said in a cheesy voice.   
  
"Oh that was much better Dri." Kixston grumbled "How about you just shut up. I am trying not to fall and listening to you isn't helping."   
  
Driretlan let out a low growl and shuffled along the pathway. She looked down to see that there was about a four hundred foot drop.   
  
"How much future up do we have to go?" Ichigo asked   
  
"Well we will reach the top around nightfall." Kixston said "That is if no one falls."   
  
"Oh look who is being the ray of sunshine now." Driretlan mumbled   
  
"That gives us about three more hours of climbing." Jin smirked   
  
"How can you be so happy all of the time?" Driretlan asked Jin  
  
"I bet that Jin is taking some sort of drug to keep him like that." Kixston laughed   
  
"I am just this way by nature." Jin said   
  
"Well it is a good thing that some one around here is." Ichigo said   
  
"Watch it." Driretlan growled. As she was walking up the path the rocks under her feet started to crumble and Driretlan started to slip. Jin saw this and brought up a gust of wind to keep her on the path. "That was way too close. Thanks Jin, you saved me once more." Driretlan scooted away from the crumbling path.   
  
"It was nothing." Jin smirked hopping over the small section of rock that was missing in the path.   
  
"You two still alive back there?" Kixston asked   
  
"Yea we're just fine." Driretlan said   
  
"Good." Kixston sighed   
  
Dark clouds started to roll in the as they climbed higher. You could hear thunder echoing inside the clouds and the smell of rain filled the air.   
  
"This is a good sign." Kixston smirked   
  
"What do you mean a good sign?" Ichigo asked   
  
"The sun is blacked out which means if we arrive early we will be met." Kixston explained   
  
"Aahh yes the whole vamp sunlight thing." Driretlan laughed "No wonder you like storms Kixston."   
  
Kixston shook his head and let out a deep sigh. "We should be there with in two hours if we keep up this pace guys."   
  
"That is good I want to rest." Ichigo said   
  
"You will be able to soon enough don't worry."   
  
Nightfall fell sooner than anyone expected, Kixston and the others made it to the top of the cliffs with out any delays. They were met by a tall vampire with shaggy jet black hair that had silvery eyes. "I am glad that you made it Kixston." The vampire said in a deep voice  
  
"You expected less from me Alkamire?" Kixston asked   
  
"Well you are only half so we had our doubts." Alkamire chuckled. He looked at the others and sniffed the air. "May I ask why you brought two demons and a human into our ranks?"   
  
"I felt like it." Kixston sighed "Besides I figured that you guys could use some extra help. I mean that letter did seem a bit desperate."   
  
"Well that will be explained when we get into the meeting house." Alkamire said "Follow me."   
  
Driretlan gave Kixston a 'What was his problem' look.   
  
"Just follow. It will all be explained Dri." Kixston smirked   
  
Kixston, Ichigo, Driretlan and Jin all followed Alkamire to a stone building. Driretlan cautiously entered the building. The place was filled with the smell of blood and vampires which made everyone very edgy. They were lead into a small room that was lit with torches and had a large stone table in the center. Kixston took and Alkamire took seats on the left side of the table and then all of the empty seats suddenly filled with vampires that just seemed to appear out of nowhere.   
  
"That is creepy." Driretlan muttered   
  
A booming voice filled the chamber and the vampire that sat at the head of the table stood up. He was dressed in all black and had spiky red hair. "Well I see that you are all here on time, That is good. Kixston was good enough to bring himself from the valley of the demons to assist us."   
  
The other vampires started to whisper to each other and then the lead vampire silenced them..   
  
"I would like to know why I was summoned." Kixston said   
  
"There is a threat that we are facing, a threat that we never thought of imagined we would have to face." The lead vampire said   
  
"What is this threat?" Kixston asked in a serious tone.   
  
"it is Lunus. That demon that you used to bring to the village with you. He working with some power that we are unable to handle." The lead vampire stammered   
  
"But, Coltrane Lunus died along time ago." Kixston said "There is no way that it is him."   
  
"He does that treacherous demon." Coltrane growled  
  
Driretlan slumped up against the wall and slid to the ground. She couldn't believe what she was hearing. She clenched her fists tightly around something. "You are a liar! My brother would do no such thing! he isn't a traitor to anyone!" Driretlan yelled   
  
"Silence you! We can't trust you either. Like brother like sister." Coltrane snarled   
  
"Coltrane, do you have any proof that Lunus is alive?" Kixston asked  
  
"Yes we have allot of proof that Lunus is alive. We have eyewitnesses accounts." Alkamire said  
  
"What does that prove?" Driretlan asked   
  
"STAY OUT OF THIS YOU IMPUDENT CHILD!!!" Coltrane yelled "WE DON'T NEED THE INSIGHT OF SOMEONE LIKE YOU!!!"   
  
Driretlan growled and started to say something but thought better of it.   
  
"Now, Kixston we all know that you have information on the traitor. We would like it if you shared the information." Coltrane said calmly   
  
A silence ensued while Kixston thought about the situation. The sound of rain echoed through out the room.   
  
I thought that you died Lunus, but you lived. Kixston thought. And you betrayed me how could you do that? I thought that you were my friend. And your sister.. Kixston looked back at Driretlan, she was staring at the ground. She is sticking up for you she believes in you. You betrayed her to, I am going to do anything to stop you.  
  
"What do you want to know." Kixston muttered "Anything that you want to know I will tell you.."   
  
Driretlan snapped her head up when she heard Kixston say that. She bit her bottom lip and hopped up running out of the room.   
  
All the vampires in the room watched her leave. Kixston slammed his fist onto the table and started to get up, but before he could Jin was already running after her.   
  
Outside the rain was pouring down hard it was heard to see ten feet. Jin caught up with Driretlan and grabbed her shoulder spinning her around.   
  
"What, are you going to yell at me too?" Driretlan snapped   
  
Jin shook his head "I have no reason to yell at you."   
  
"Sure you do, I trusted that my older brother was a nice person and that his best friend wouldn't stab him in the back." Driretlan choked "I knew that I should had just stayed home."   
  
Jin smiled "I am glad that you didn't stay home, if you would have I would have gotten to meet you."   
  
"Why would you want to meet me? Why would anyone? I am just some impudent child." Driretlan said looking down and clenching her fists even tighter.   
  
"You shouldn't listen to people like that. He knows nothing about you."   
  
"Well he sure acts like it....I can't believe them...my brother is dead.. and they are talking about him...like.. like that." Driretlan stammered looking into Jin's eyes. she felt hot tears sting her cheeks. "Only if they knew him the way I did...They...they would know that he couldn't hurt anyone....without good reason...he was so gentle...he...he wasn't a traitor...I know that.. and I...thought that Kixsotn did too...but I guess that he doesn't.."   
  
"I believe you. Your brother sounds like a kind person." Jin comforted  
  
"Thank you...thank you so much Jin." Driretlan stuttered flinging her arms around his neck. "I am glad that you believe me.."   
  
Jin was frozen for a second unsure of what to do. He finally put his arms around her to comfort her.   
  
They stood like that for several minuets letting the rain soak them. Then out of nowhere Driretlan started to laugh and she pulled back.   
  
"What is it Driretlan?" Jin asked   
  
"I never thought that I would get that worked up over. anything." She said wiping away what remained of her tears. "But part of it might be this." Driretlan unclenched her left hand and showed Jin. There was a gash going all the way across her hand and it was bleeding like crazy.   
  
"How did you do that?" Jin asked   
  
"I was getting so mad inside that I had to do something or I was going to kill someone. So I just clenched on spell breaker." Driretlan laughed "Not to smart of me hu?"   
  
Jin smirked and ripped some of the bandage off of his arm. "I think that it was a wise choice." Jin took the piece of bandage and wrapped it around Driretlan's hand. "There, that should stop the bleeding."   
  
"Thanks, I don't know what I would do if you weren't here."   
  
Meanwhile  
  
Johnny and Wing had gathered their forces and were attacking the village. Wing's forces had attacked first, Johnny said that is was the gentlemanly thing to do. The main part of the forces had broken through the wall and where attacking any who resisted. In the midst of the battle Sharon, SuperX, Mitzuki and Kaneda were fighting back Johnny and Wing's forces. Hotaru, Darkwolf and Lunus were battling off anyone who got to close.   
  
Hotaru separated herself from the main battle to find a worthy opponent and she found Kaneda fighting off some of Wing's foot soldiers. "Hey guys go fight someone else this guy is mine." Hotaru commanded   
  
The soldiers nodded and scurried off. Leaving Kaneda and Hotaru.   
  
"No offence to ya kid but what are you going to do me? Kick me in the shins?" Kaneda chuckled   
  
"I can do better than any of those idiots out there. And I bet that I could also do better than you." Hotaru said. "Good things come in small packages you know."   
  
Kaneda started to laugh, "I am sorry.. it is just that...you are what 5 foot? What are you going to do to me?"   
  
Hotaru growled then jumped up and kicked Kaneda in the face.   
  
Kaneda just cracked his neck and stared at Hotaru. "All right kid I warned you." Kaneda started to throw some punches at Hotaru but she dodged most of them. And the few that hit didn't phase her much. Hotaru slipped behind Kaneda and jumped up and grabbed his neck from behind putting him into a choke hold. Kaneda flung Hotaru off of his back and into a nearby building where she smashed through the wall.   
  
A bright blue glow came from where Hotaru smashed through the wall and she came walking out. "You threw the wrong girl." Hotaru growled. Her fists glowed bright blue and she blasted a stream of ice right at Kaneda. He barely dodged, part of his leg was frozen.   
  
"Oh shit." He muttered pulling out his seven foot long sword and banging it up against the ice on his leg breaking it. "That is better."   
  
Hotaru growled then jumped toward Kaneda with ice frozen all around her fists. "Eat this!"   
  
"No thanks." Kaneda said blocking Hoard's attack with his sword. "I like my water in liquid form."   
  
"I can arrange that." Mitzuki said jumping off a nearby roof. She did some swift motions in the air then smirked "Ready here comes your defroster!" A vortex of flames shot out of her hands and hit Hotaru dead on sending her flying backwards. "well guess that she is all washed up now." Mitzuki jumped onto a nearby roof then disappeared.   
  
Sharon and SuperX were working as a team to fight off the foot soldiers. Sharon was using a chain whip to lash the enemies back and SuperX was shooting them with his built in gun.   
  
"There is sure a lot of them." Sharon said   
  
"Nothing that we can't handle...well at least until I run out of ammo." SuperX added   
  
"Are you running low?" Sharon asked while she lashed an enemy back sending it flying into a building.   
  
"Nope." SuperX said firing off another round into the crowd of foot soliders.   
  
A loud boom filled the air and something exploded in nearby. Fire came rushing toward SuperX and Sharon. SuperX jumped in front of Sharon to shield her from the flames. When the flames died down, and the smoke cleared you could see the foot soliders laying on the ground either dead, badly injured or trying to put out their clothing that caught on fire.   
  
"Are you okay SuperX?" Sharon asked   
  
"I don't think that you have to worry about me." Sharon laughed looking at the soldiers try to put themselves out.   
  
Johnny and Wing were watching the battle from the safety of the wall.   
  
"If we lose this battle it is your fault Johnny." Wing snapped   
  
"Don't worry milady we will win this fight. It is all of our forces against the villagers and those few people that Kixston left here."   
  
"You may be the devil Johnny but if we lose I will never work with you again." Wing added angrily.   
  
Lunus appeared beside Johnny, "You had something for me to do sir."   
  
"Yes it was the lady's request." Johnny said turning to Lunus. Johnny handed Lunus a small sachet.   
  
"Use that to kill them. It is deadly poison that way if they aren't taken down in battle they will die from it." Wing smirked "But don't waste it there is only enough to kill three people. And it is extremely hard to duplicate it."   
  
"I shall not waste any of it." Lunus smirked   
  
This posoin may come in handy. Lunus thought. I will take out the targets by hand, this I will save for other purposes.  
  
Lunus jumped from the wall to a roof and then he disappeared.   
  
"You have a good assistant there Johnny. Where did you get him from?" Wing asked   
  
"Hell." Johnny laughed   
  
Darkwolf was sneaking some of the villagers out of the village. She soon ran into a problem though, it was Hotaru. She was fighting Kaneda nearby.   
  
"Well this is no good. If she catches me she'll tell Johnny, and I really don't want to go there with him." Darkwolf muttered. Darkwolf snuck in between the buildings getting away from the fight between Hotaru and Kaneda that is when she ran into Lunus.   
  
"Why are you sneaking around Darkwolf?"   
  
"I am looking for someone to fight actually so if you will excuse me." She said jumping up onto a roof top then disappearing.   
  
"I am looking for someone to fight as well." Lunus muttered   
  
"Well then today must be your lucky day." Mitzuki smirked "Actually unlucky."   
  
"Aahh well I would say the same for you." Lunus said lunging forward drawing a black sword.   
  
Mitzuki jumped to the side of his attack and hit the a pressure point in his left arm making it unusable.   
  
"You little." Lunus growled turning around. He jumped forward and Mitzuki again dodged. He then quickly turned again and slashed her side with the sword.   
  
Mitzuki fell to the ground then she looked up at Lunus whom towered over her. Their eyes met and locked then suddenly Mitzuki lost all felling in her body. "I....can't...move..."   
  
"I would kill you now but it would be a waste of my time." Lunus snarled leaving Mitzuki lying on the ground.   
  
Both Kaneda and Hotaru were badly injured neither of them ready to give up. They were staring each other down.   
  
"You know we could quit fighting and go get help. That way we both don't die." Kaneda suggested "You know so we don't bleed to death."   
  
"No...way in hell." Hotaru growled  
  
"Okay...Then I am just going to have to take you down then." Kaneda smirked "So, come on...attack me."   
  
Hotaru stumbled forward with her fist covered in ice. "AHHH!" Hotaru yelled puching Kaneda.   
  
Kaneda kicked Hotaru back wards and he put his sword to her neck. "I don't want to kill you....So give up."   
  
"Never.." Hotaru growled   
  
A shadow jumped down beside Hotaru and pulled her back from Kaneda. "Lady Darkwolf has been injured we must retreat."   
  
"Well I have been injured for a long time but does any one help me..? No.." Hotaru sneered  
  
The shadow didn't respond it just picked up Hotaru and left.   
  
"That is a relief." Kaneda said grabbing his stomach, "I didn't want to have to kill the kid." Kaneda stumbled over to a wall and leaned up against it. He reached behind his chest armor and pulled out his book. "Ahh, Makeout Paradise, how you always bring me up."   
  
A woman with raven hair and cold blue eyes came rushing into the small village just as the enemy was retreating. There was a guy who followed her closly.   
  
"Kayko what are we doing here?" The guy asked   
  
"We are going to help these people. I refuse to sit here and let them suffer." Kayko said "I can put my powers to work, and I think that you can offer some service to Polta. So come!"   
  
"Lets go then." Polta growled   
  
Kayko and Polta ran into the city and to help.  
  
Meanwhile  
  
Driretlan was sitting in the outer chambers of the meeting hall with Jin. She refused to go back in there and listen to the vampires.   
  
"I can't belive those ass holes." Driretlan growled   
  
Jin looked over at Driretlan and smirked. "I guess that they are going to catch your wrath later."   
  
"Yea once they come out here and quit talking about my brother."   
  
"You should really watch how you talk about us demon." A vampire said "You are in our territory, and we can easily take you down if we please."   
  
"I would love to see you try." Driretlan growled starting to stand up.   
  
"I would love to." The vampire smirked "You would have no chance demon. All I would have to do is talk ill of your brother and you will go leave. It is pathetic."   
  
"Why you."   
  
"Stop." Ichigo snapped coming into the room. "Don't say another word. I am sick of listening to you."  
  
The vampire growled "I will do as I please human."   
  
Jin looked at the vampire then sighed "Can't you just leave her alone?"   
  
"No." He chuckled "Why do you want in on it to shrimpy? I can arrange that I mean someone your size has to be easy to take down."   
  
"You shouldn't under estimate people." Jin growled as a gust of wind came rushing into the chamber.   
  
The vampire started to say something else when Alkamire and Kixston walked in. Alkamire had a big smirk on his face and Kixston looked like someone had just died.   
  
"Dri...you have to come with us." Kixston muttered   
  
"Why?" She asked   
  
"For your sentencing." Alkamire laughed coldly walking up to Driretlan and grabbing her arm. 


	5. Given Destiny Chapter 5

Chapter Five   
  
Driretlan was drug into the other chamber by Alkamire. Coltrane stared coldly at Jin,and Ichigo before following Alkamire.   
  
"We have to help her!"Ichigo said chasing after Alkamire and coltrane.   
  
Jin started to follow Ichigo but Kixston grabbed his arm and pulled him back into the chamber. Kixston gave the other vampire that stood in the chamber an icy glare and he soon exited.   
  
"Why are you stopping me?" Jin asked   
  
"I need you to do me a favor Jin." Kixston said in a low tone. "Things are going to get pretty nasty in there and Driretlan is going to be sacrificed unless we stop it."   
  
"Sacrificed why?"   
  
"They are trying her for all the crimes that Lunus has committed against them. Past and present." Kixston muttered "In other words they want to repair some of their Damned pride. And it can only be done with either her blood or Lunus'. And since she is the only available resource."   
  
"What is our plan?" Jin asked eagerly.   
  
Kixston chuckled coldly. "You are going to take Ichigo, and Driretlan and get the hell out of here..Once things get bad in there i will toss you my sword, i think that it is part of the little scheme. You will take my sword and get the hell out of here. And don't worry about the vamps, i have that covered."   
  
"Why do I need you sword? What is the importance of me having it, it will only slow me down." Jin said   
  
"You need this baby because Coltrane is using it all in a little power struggle that he is having with the Belayin clan. If he has my weapon that will be bad enough. But i think that he hopes to get Dri's two also and if he has three of the six weapons of....never mind that is unimportant. All you need to know is that you are to take my sword and get the hell out of here. And don't worry about the size issue, it will fix itself." Kixston explained "now lets hurry before they become suscpisios."   
  
Jin nodded and followed Kixston into the main chamber. The main chamber was filled with vampires that looked very eager and blood hungery. Jin looked across to the far side of the room to see Alkamire draggind Driretlan to wall restraints.   
  
"What the hell is you guys problem!!" Drireltan yelled "PUT ME DOWN!"   
  
"Oh we'll put you down alright." Alkamire chuckled "now hold still."   
  
"Fuck you!" Driretlan snapped "I won't do shit for you!" Driretlan started to thrash about more violently than before.   
  
Two more vampires came up and helped Alkamire chain Driretlan to the wall.   
  
"You sons of bitches get me down from here!" Driretlan yelled   
  
Alkamire just laughed and pulled the Terrifen out of her hilt passing it over to Coltrane. He then took spell breaker.   
  
"Those were mine I want them back." Driretlan growled   
  
"You can't have them while you are on trial." Coltrane smirked laying the Terrifen on the table.   
  
"What am i on trial for?"   
  
"High crimes that you can't even comprehend." Alkamire said quickly   
  
"In other words you are looking for an excuse to kill me. Why do you vamps always try to cover up the shit that you do. Just call it murder." Driretlan snapped   
  
"Shut up demon. You know not of which you speak." Coltrane snapped   
  
"Your are the one that knows not of what you speak. Spare your vampiric pride for one and come up with a real excuse to try to kill me." Driretlan said dryly   
  
"Silence your self or be silenced." Alkamire hissed   
  
Driretlan went with her better judgement and quit talking. Once she was quiet the whole room soon was quiet also.   
  
The room stayed dead quiet for a minuet before Coltrane started to speak. "Mir bronost, foricncle ciree hene coromit thea deao."   
  
Jin looked up at Kixston who was muttering to himself. "Do you know what he said?"   
  
"Yes, do you want me to repeat what he said in a dialect that you can understand?" Kixston asked   
  
Jin nodded.   
  
Kixston let out a deep sigh, "My brethren unforgivable crimes have been committed by this demon."   
  
"But she didn't do a thing." Ichigo muttered.   
  
"Well life isn't fair, sometimes you catch the rap for other peoples shit." Kixston muttered.   
  
When Coltrane started to speak in vampiric tounge again Kixston translated. "Using the blood of our own as a foreground her brother went and created an alliance with the Belayin clan plotting our downfall. he is not here to account for his crimes but his blood is so we will be taking this out as a warning to him...." Kixston stopped translating and the voice of Coltrane echoed in the back ground. "shit...he is going to feed on her....Jin we are going to have to create our window will be vonerable when he starts to feed, we can get him then."   
  
"Are you just giving up on her?" Jin asked   
  
"No, it will be easiest to get in when Coltrane starts to feed. Don't worry i won't let him drink to deep." Kixston said "Go as fast as you can to Driretlan when I give you the signal....oh and Ichigo, i want you to go now. Go straight out of this building and run as far in that direction as possible. Don't debate this just do it."   
  
Ichigo nodded and rushed out of the room and she didn't stop until she was out of the building.   
  
I hope that all of this falls into place correctly or all of us could die.Kixston thought.   
  
Coltrane quit speaking and turned to the wall where Driretlan was restrained. "Ready to die?"   
  
Driretlan got a sick smile on her face and chuckled turning her head to the side exposing her neck.   
  
Go ahead bite me asshole, see what happens.Driretlan thought. You are gonna be the one to die.   
  
"What the fuck are you doing Dri?" Kixston wondered aloud.   
  
Coltrane bit Driretlan in the neck and it only took a matter of miliseconds for the pain to register in Driretlan's mind. Driretlan started to rip her legs free from the restraints, now Coltrane was right where she wanted him.   
  
A dagger flew into the wall above Coltrane's head and he pulled his teeth out of Driretlan's neck. "Who dares disturb my feeding?!"   
  
A girl stood on the stone table staring Coltrane down. "I did, got a problem with it?" She smirked. she was wearing black pants and a black skirt like thing over her pants, then she had on a matching black shirt with a deep purple symbol.   
  
Coltrane let out a low growl. "GET HER!!" He yelled   
  
A surge of vampires jumped towards the table. The girl rolled to the end of the table and picked up spell breaker and the Terrifen, then she jupmed up andover the vampires.   
  
With the girl occupied Coltrane went back to feeding. But after he drank more of Driretlan's blood he started to choke and he fell to his knees.   
  
"Aww what's wrong Coltrane, Is demon blood to much for you?" Driretlan asked   
  
Coltrane didn't answer he just kept coughing up blood.   
  
Kixston finally remembered to give Jin the signal and Jin raced over to Driretlan and took the short sword off his back and hacked off the chains.   
  
"About time I used this sword." Jin smiled. He helped Driretlan down from the wall and helped her stand.   
  
"That is the last time I take Kixston's word on anything." Driretlan sighed rubbing her wrists. Driretlan watched the girl who had her weapons she was being chased by the vampires.   
  
Alkamire noticed that Driretlan was free and that Coltrane was choking. "Forget that girl! Get the demon!!" He yelled   
  
"Great here come our party guests, and I didn't get a chance to clean up or get them any party favors." Driretlan growled "Hey Jin can I barrow your sword for a minuet, I have an idea."   
  
Jin nodded and handed Driretlan his sword.   
  
"I hope that you don't mind it being a little charred after this." She smirked, Driretlan tried to grip the sword tightly but ths only could with her right hand, her left hand's grip was very weak still. "Well I hope that this works the first time through."   
  
The group of vampires was almost right ontop of Driretlan and jin when she clentched her eyes shut and consentrated. The sword glowed an eerrie deep red color then it exploeded in flames.   
  
The vampires took a sharp step back then they started to charge again.   
  
"Idiots." Driretlan muttered. She jumped right into the crowd of vampires and started to slash away at them. The vampires that didn't go down from being cut caught on fire and went down any way.   
  
Jin smirked and brought up a wind that sent the remaining vampires flying in to the wall. "I tihnk that we should leave now."   
  
"First we get the weapons." Kixston said   
  
"No problem I have them." The girl said running up to Kixston and handing him the weapons. "You are welcome." The girl then disapeared just as fat as she came.   
  
"Well that was odd." Driretlan sighed jogging up to Kixston and taking her weapons back. "oh yea, here is your sword back Jin." The sword was charred but Jin took it anyway.   
  
"Now while we have a chance." Kixston coaxed "Lets go!"   
  
Driretlan and Jin nodded and ran after Kixston out the door. They ran across the muddy flats goining east.   
  
After running at a steady pace for a while they slowed down, and Driretlan just ploped down onto the ground out of breath.   
  
"Come on Dri, get up we have to keep moving." Kixston growled   
  
"Well then just leave me here, i am too light headed to stand back up." Driretlan said trying to catch her breath.   
  
Jin looked at Driretlan then gasped "Your neck! It is still bleeding!"   
  
"Well shit Dri, why didn't you say something?" Kixston asked tearing off a piece of his cloack and handing it to Jin.   
  
"To tell the truth I kinda forgot, I mean it went numb a long time ago.And you know how i am with pain." Driretlan chuckled   
  
Jin smirked as he tied the piece of cloack around the wound, "Well it is a good thing that I noticed it then. You could have bled to death."   
  
"She always could bleed to death. She is accident prone." Kixston sneered   
  
"Well i wouldn't be so 'accidnet prone' if someone didn't have a buch of phycos for friends!" Driretlan snapped   
  
"Do you two ever stop?" Ichigo asked walking up to the group.   
  
"Your alright Ichigo, that is good." Kixston said. "You should be more like Ichigo Dri, she never gets hurt and slows us down."   
  
"Don't blame me! For the hunderdth time it is your phyco friends fault."   
  
"You know if you wouldn't have let Coltrane bite you, we wouldn't be in this position." Kixston argued   
  
"Why did you let him bite you?" jin asked   
  
"I figured that vampires could only drink mortal blood so i thought that he would choke. Which i might add he did." Driretlan said   
  
"You based all of that on a might?!" Kixston snapped "You could have been killed."   
  
"Well what other choice did I have. Besides, it worked didn't it?"   
  
"It sure did." Jin added "You are very lucky."   
  
"Well her luck is going to run out eventually." Kixston grumbled.   
  
"But it didn't yet." Ichigo pointed out   
  
Kixston let out a low growl, "Let's go, i don't want to sit around here."   
  
"I think that we should stay here for what is left of the night. I am beat." Driretlan suggested.   
  
"We are in the middle of an open feild, an easy target. I say that we keep walking."   
  
"How about we comprimise. There is a forest a little ways from here we could stay there for the night." Ichigo said   
  
"I agree. Rest would do every one good." Jin added   
  
"Fine,"Kixston growled "We go to that forest then rest, but in the morining we move again."   
  
"That works for me." Driretlan sighed.   
  
Meanwhile   
  
Johnny, Lunus, Hotaru, and Darkwolf were all back at Johnny's headquarters out of hell. Johnny wasn't in the greatest of moods for several reasons, one he lost the battle, and two some one ambushed Darkwolf.   
  
"Johnny, why waste your time, just leave her. You can always find another girl somewhere." Lunus said causually.   
  
Johnny spun around and stared at Lunus, "I don't want to hear you say that ever again." He growled "Darkwolf cannot be replaced. But you can."   
  
"It was just a suggestion."Lunus sighed   
  
All this trouble of a useless girl.Lunus thought. Johnny should get his priorites straight or else something could go wrong.....or someone could use this against him.   
  
"Lunus I want you to go check on Darkwolf and Hotaru, I need to formulate another plot." Johnny ordered   
  
"Okay." Lunus said getting up from the chair that he was sitting in and walking into the other room.   
  
Darkwolf and Hotaru were both lying on beds wrapped up in bandages.   
  
"Fools." Lunus muttered. "They have no idea what is about to befall them." Lunus reached deep into his pockets and pulled out the poisoin that was givnen to him by Wing. He had used one of the darts on someone at the outer Village, so there was just enough to take out two people left. He took out one of the darts and knelt beside Darkwolf's bed. He stabbed the dart into her arm and let the posion soak in. Once all the posion from the dart had gotten into her blood stream Lunus removed the dart and stood up.   
  
"Let's see Johnny fix that." he chuckled. Lunus looked over at Hotaru and figured that the posion would be wasted on her, besides he might need some assistance in the future.He walked back into the main room where Johnny was.   
  
"So how are they, recovering?" Johnny asked   
  
"They are just fine. You did a good job sir." Lunus replied "I will be leaving now...I have something that i need to take care of, excuse me."   
  
"You are excused." Johnny said as Lunus disapeared. "I feel that he cannot be trusted...but who can be."   
  
The outer village was still a mess, villagers were wounded houses were on fire and the main wall was torn down on the south side. Renshu, his daughter, Kayko, and Polta were rounding up the wounded and taking them to Renshu's house. There was only one person who seemed unharmed for the most part and that was SuperX, but he is a robot after all. Sharon had been attacked toward the end of the fight and she had become horribly ill, Kayko had found Mitzuki paralyzed in the battle feild, and Polta was rounding up wouned villagers. Kaneda drug himself to Renshu's still reading his book.   
  
"This is going to get worse tomarrow night Katako.We may have to use this place as the stong hold." Renshu sighed laying Sharon onto sofa.   
  
"What do you mean it may get worse." MItzuki mumbled as she tried to move from her spot a futon.   
  
"The vampires are sure to come to feed, and with our walls down there will be a feeding frenzy." Katako explained   
  
"That is wonderfully cheery." Mitzuki muttered   
  
"Well if they come we will just have to defend the village....right?" Kaneda said   
  
"Well you and SuperX can, I would but i can't move and i don't think that Sharon is doing to well." Mitzuki added   
  
"I think that we could do it." SuperX said "We just need to get our lines renforced."   
  
"Lines? We don't have lines kid it is just you and me." Kaneda smirked "That'll be fun."   
  
"I could help." Polta said walking into the room. "And so can my sister...if she feels like it."   
  
"Shut up Polta I will help." Kayko snapped leaining up against the wall. "This is going to be interesting....what happened here in the first place?"   
  
"We were attacked I am not sure by whom.." Kaneda muttered while reading his book.   
  
"Neither am I.." Rensju muttered "But i doubt that we will be able to hold off the vampires for two nights."   
  
"If we have to watch out for vamps how come we aren't now?" Mitzuki asked   
  
"Kixston just went up to a meeting tonite so they are busy." Renshu said quickly   
  
"Father why don't you just tell them the truth." Katako said "The vampires aren't attacking tonite because they can't, there is a curse on this area that takes effect tonite. The vampires won't travel from the cliffs because of the creatures that are dwelling in the east. The vampires would be massacured if they went.Any one who goes would be."   
  
"So there is something that even vampires have to fear...that is pretty bad." Mitzuki muttered   
  
"It gets even worse, the vampires will come in mass numbers soon. They are sort of stocking up on food because they are about to go to war. The clans are feuding and there seems to be a force behind them that is driving them to it. It was never this way before." Katako added   
  
"Well that is nice to know. We just let them go into a war zone..." Mitzuki sighed   
  
"It is not likely that your friends will come back now." Renshu muttered "They will die in the midst of the fighting."   
  
It was silent for a moment then Kaneda broke it because he was chuckling.   
  
"You know you should put that damned book away and try to show respect!" Renshu snapped   
  
Kixston,and the others had found the forest that Ichigo was talking about. Driretlan was sitting up against a tree and Kixston was leaning up against a tree in front of her.   
  
"I hope you guys know that this will slow us down." Kixston growled   
  
"And where are we off to in such a hurry anyway?" Driretlan asked "If it it to another Vampire village there is no way that i am going."   
  
"It isn't." Kixston snapped   
  
"Then where are we going?" Ichigo asked   
  
"Somewhere...it isn't important that you know now."Kixston said   
  
"I would like to know where i am going before i get there. I am not up to dealing with that whole senerio again." Driretlan sighed   
  
"Well you will know when we get there."   
  
"I am not going to play it that way, sorry. I would rather just wander around until i find my way home." Driretlan said quickly   
  
"Well if you choose to find your way home on your own that is your own choice." Kixston growled   
  
"Who said that i was going to be alone?" Driretlan asked   
  
"Well i for one aren't going to accompany you. And I doubt that Ichigo will, now if Jin chooses to that is his own choice. A foolish choice but a choice none the less." Kixston replied   
  
"What ever. You can go off and do whatever you want to do, and take with you whom you want to take. I really don't care now. I am not going to dive head first into trouble again."   
  
"You are the cause of all the trouble Dri. The entire thing back there was over you, then the river thing again you, umm oh then there is the Gothic thing...oh that was you again too hu? You are the one in this group that seems to be a magnet for all the trouble. so what i am going to do is drop you off somewhere then i am going to sort things out wiht my clan." Kixston sneered "You just have made it all worse, you and that damned brother of yours."   
  
"I am not gonna sit here an listen to this again." Driretlan growled "I thought that you were friends with him. You are more of a tratior than he is."   
  
"Listen I don't expect you to understand this." Kixston snarled "You didn't hear all of it."   
  
"I heard all of it and i still didn't understand." Ichigo said "You should really lay off the subject, you are the only one that claims to know a thing. So it is useless to argue it will only cause more problems."   
  
Kixston let out a low growl. "You shouldn't be speaking on behalf of the treal deao. The tratior demon, you don't understand how deep this goes. This is way over your head Ichigo please don't involve yourself."   
  
"Quit talking like that. I am so sick of it Kixston, you are starting to really piss me off." Driretlan snarled "I am tempted to kill you and be done with it all."   
  
"You don't have what it takes to kill me." Kixstno laughed   
  
"Just stop fighitng. This is getting us no where." Ichigo said   
  
"Neither is sitting here and doing nothing. I am leaving." Kixston sighed waving, "Good luck to you guys, oh and don't all fall asleep at once. You will be gutted."   
  
"Where in the hell do you think that you are going?" Driretlan snapped "You aren't allowed to leave. Remember?"   
  
"Well you just screwed that over didn't cha kid." Kixston smirked getting off of the tree and walking off. "You gotta take care of yourself now, you didn't expect for me to uphold that stupid thing forever did ya?"   
  
"You can't...you won't...your not that much of an asshole, are you?"   
  
"What are you guys talking about?" Ichigo asked   
  
"I will leave if i want Dri."Kixston said walking off   
  
"Wait! Will you stay if i promise to keep my mouth shut?" Driretlan asked   
  
"Sure." Kixston chuckled   
  
"Hey don't get me wrong. The only reason that I want you to stay is I have no clue where i am going...i mean how can we get where you want us to go with out a guide?" Driretlan said   
  
"Okay, Okay i'll stay then. I wouldn't want Ichigo to get into trouble anyway, you can't replace her that easily." Kixston smirked   
  
"Now that that is settled i am going to sleep." Driretlan muttered leaning up against the tree.   
  
Jin smiled and pulled out his flute and played a soft melody that seemed to weave through the air and through the trees leaving a warm feeling in the air.   
  
Driretlan fell asleep while Jin was playing on the flute, her head slipped off the side of the tree and landed softly on Jin's shoulder.   
  
This is going to get worse and worse as it goes on, I know it. Kixston thought. There is someone plotting something big out there. Something with a lot of power.   
  
"Dri, I gotta ask you something. Is it just me or do you feel like there is something out there that is about to go down?" Kixston asked   
  
"She is asleep." Jin yawned over at Driretlan "You should ask her in the morning."   
  
"Oh....." Kixston said he looked at Driretlan who was asleep, then he looked over at Ichigo who had also fallen asleep. "You should get some sleep Jin, you haven't hardly slept at all since we met. You have to be exsaughsted."   
  
Jin nodded "I am a bit tired."   
  
"Then go to sleep. I will keep watch, i have a hard time sleeping at night anyway so don't worry.I guess that it is the vamp blood in me." Kixston sighed   
  
Jin chuckled abit and nodded, he layed his head on the tree and slowly drifted off to sleep.   
  
After Jin was asleep Kixston stood up and walked over to Ichigo laying his cloack over her before jumping into the tree above her. He climbed to a high branch where he could see what was left of the cloud cover drift lazily over the moon. Wind combed through his silver hair blowing it all asturn infront of his eyes. His black shirt buckled all the way up in the front with straps, and he was wearing loose black pants where his sword was strapped. "The whole world is about to got to hell." He muttered "and we will probably be stuck in the middle. I just hope that they are ready for it."   
  
Lunus walked into a room that was draped in black, everything was black the floors the ceiling even the throne that sat in the center of the room was pure black.   
  
"At last you arrive Lunus I thought that i would have to send a Hexidro after you." A figure chuckled as he entered the room.   
  
"I took my time coming here, with good reason though." Lunus replied   
  
"Well now that you are I should ask how the attack with Johnny went."   
  
"It went exactly as planned, Wing went in and got the gem that she wanted, Johnny's forces destroyed a large portion of the wall. And I got the posion but there is only one dose left."   
  
"Well i knew that, there would only be enough for one killing after you got ahold of it, but that is all I need." The figure said in a deep voice.   
  
Lunus nodded "Sir, when will we embark on the final phase of the plan?" Lunus asked   
  
"When we get your sister and Kixston onto the main land with the weapons. There we will have to get the final weapons, which shouldn't prove to hard."   
  
"We will have to go through Layne, you do relize that don't you sir?' Lunus said in a nervous tone.   
  
"Yes I do relieze that. But Layne won't be that much of a threat once we get three of the weapons. Then once we defeat him we will have to find the last two which won't be too much of a problem. From here it gets easier, all we have to do is eliminate Johnny, Wing and Cronic Hazel here before we move on, then there will be nothing else to stop us." The figure chuckled   
  
He has no clue what he is going up against.Lunus thought. If he does he is being far too cocky about it. He would be screwed if Johnny wised up to him and joined forces with that girl....I just hope that, that day never comes. Then we will lose horribly and hell won't even take us.   
  
"So go start working Lunus. We still have alot of work to do and i want to rule the world as soon as possible." The figure snapped before disapearing.   
  
Lunus sighed then teleported out of the room and into a dark forest.   
  
"Sad isn't it." A voice said   
  
"You will never achieve your goals, you will always be a lacky." another added   
  
"Who said that!" Lunus demanded   
  
"Aww look at that Ravage i think you pissed him off." The first voice said   
  
"Sorry man but the truth does hurt." Ravage chuckled   
  
"What do you want?!" Lunus grolwed   
  
"We want to talk Lunus." The first voice said.   
  
"How do you know who I am..."   
  
"He wants to know Daniel, should we tell him?" Ravage asked   
  
"Nahh, it is fun to watch him squirm." Daniel laughed   
  
"What do you two want to talk about?" Lunus asked angrily   
  
"We just wanted to tell you that your about to get screwed over." Ravage said   
  
"By whom...show yourselves!" Lunus yelled   
  
"What is the fun in that?" Daniel asked   
  
"I find it boring." Ravage laughed   
  
"Answer my damned question!"   
  
"Fine, fine, you are about to be betrayed by the last person that you would ever guess and you are going to go back to hell for good because of it." Ravage explained   
  
"That isn't all though. You are going to have to face the one thing that you don't want to have to face, your number one fear." Daniel added   
  
"Driretlan." lunus muttered   
  
"You hit that one head on." Ravage chuckled   
  
"Having to face an angery sister that has weapons of destruction in her possesion...scary. I would say that you have family issues but that is appearant." Daniel laughed   
  
"Why are you two telling me all of this? Why are you warning me?" Lunus asked   
  
"We like to watch you squirm." Ravage laughed   
  
"That and we found it quite fun, besides we were also gonna tell you that we have front row seats to the show." Daniel said   
  
"Why does any of this matter! This is a waste of my time!" Lunus yelled walking off into the forest.   
  
"I would say that we got him good." Ravage said   
  
"He will be thinking about that one for days." Daniel added   
  
They both laughed and it slowly faded.   
  
The next morning Driretlan woke up from the sun shining into her eyes. She started to roll over to go back to sleep but then she reliezed where she had fallen asleep. She was still lying on Jin's shoulder and he was sound asleep. She let out a deep sigh and slowly crept back up so she wouldn't wake up Jin. She leaned up against the tree and looked over watching Jin sleep. "So peaceful..." She mumbled "I hope that I didn't wake him."   
  
Jin muttered in his sleep and moved a little bit.   
  
"Aww you woke up." Ichigo laughed "I have to admit you two looked so cute together."   
  
Driretlan growled and her eyebrow twitched "Oh really we did...why were you looking? and why are you wrapped up in Kixston's cloack....I hope that you didn't do anything, that is gross."   
  
"I woke up and it was laying over me when I woke up and I was looking because I wanted to. Is that a crime?" Ichigo asked   
  
"Yes." Driretlan said flatly.   
  
Jin streched and yawned. "Good morning." He smiled rubbing his eyes.   
  
"Good Morning Jin. I take it that you slept well." Kixston said walking into view.   
  
Jin chuckled "That was the best night of sleep that I have had in a long time."   
  
"I bet that I know why too." Kixston teased "But you had best watch it, i have my eye on you two."   
  
"What?! Why? I...uh..we.. didn't....um...oh crap, nevermind." Driretlan stammered   
  
Kixston laughed and shrugged, "You want somethin to eat guys?" Kixston asked   
  
"Uh, nah I am good." Driretlan said   
  
"You should eat something Dri, you need to recover your strength." Kixston said   
  
"Fine I'll have a piece of fruit or something." Driretlan sighed   
  
"Give both her and Jin some of that salted meat and a piece of bread Ichigo."Kixston ordered   
  
"Yes sir." Ichigo laughed reaching into her bag and pulling out the meat and some bread. She gave it to Driretlan and Jin.   
  
"I don't know why everyone is making a big deal of this. I am fine." Driretlan grumbled eating some of the meat.   
  
"Well you do look awful pale." Jin said looking Driretlan over "You really should eat, here take my food."   
  
"Jin...I can you eat it. Besides I will be just fine, you watch." Driretlan smirked "Thanks anyway."   
  
Jin nodded and quickly ate his food, then he hopped to his feet.   
  
Driretlan finished eating and let out a deep sigh.   
  
"Still need my help walking or are you okay?" Jin asked outstreaching his hand.   
  
Driretlan took his hand and he pulled her up. She felt much better today even though she had a bad headache. "I think that I am going to be fine." Driretlan smiled   
  
"So let's get going." Kixston urged.   
  
Driretlan nodded and started to follow Kixston out of the forest.   
  
I have a strange feeling about today.Jin thought. I just hope that it all will turn out well, and that we will come out in one piece.   
  
Jin's train of thought was broken by Driretlan tugging on his hand. "Are you going to come or do I have to stay here with you?"   
  
"I will come, I just guess that I spaced out." Jin smiled rubbing the back of his head.   
  
"Well then come on!" Driretlan urged pulling Jin ahead.   
  
Sharon had gotten even worse during the night and everyone was very worried. Renshu suggested that someone should go to this 'enchanted cave' and get some sort of healing water. Mitzuki wanted to go but she couldn't walk well enough yet, So Kaneda steped up to the plate along with SuperX.   
  
"You must hurry while you are doing this, we don't know how long Sharon will last. and we need you for tonite." Renshu said.   
  
"Here is your map, be careful. We don't need more people injured then we alreay have." Katako added giving Kaneda the map.   
  
"Ahh we'll be fine." Kaneda laughed pulling SuperX under his arm trying to give him a noogie. one never give a robot a noogie, their heads are made of metal."   
  
Everyone laughed then it got quiet again.   
  
"And on that note we exit." Kaneda said, "See you guys later! We will be back with that water soon promise!"   
  
Renshu watched Kaneda and SuperX run through the village and out the gate. "I hope that they are able to get the water in time."   
  
"Come on be more positive father. I think that they can do it." Katako said   
  
"well if they can't then i can." Mitzuki said "After all i am the best chance that you have around here."   
  
Renshu shook his head and sighed.   
  
These children are so foolish, they always have thier heads in the clouds.Renshu thought. Let's hope that for once it pays off. 


	6. Given Destiny Chapter Six

Chapter 7  
  
Kaneda raced back to Renshu's house and to the room that Sharon was in. He slid into the room and skidded to a stop in front of the couch that she lay on. "Well this had better work." He muttered uncapping the flask and kneeling down beside Sharon. He used his free hand to sit her up then he poured the contents of the flask into her mouth.   
  
Sharon swallowed the water then mumbled something.   
  
Kaneda let out a sigh relief and slinked down beside the couch. "Well now that, that is done." He smirked. He reached behind his chest armor and pulled out his book, setting aside the flask. He reached up onto a nearby table and pulled down a lamp and used it so he could see what he was reading. "Ahh, now this is much better."   
  
Katako walked into the room followed by Kayko.   
  
Kayko let out a dreamy sigh as watched Kaneda.   
  
"That is ridiculous..."Katako muttered "how could someone read the same book all of the time?"   
  
"It is a good book is how," Kaneda said not taking his eyes off of the book. "You should try to find a copy."   
  
"No, thank you." Katako smirked "I have better things to do then sit around and read a beat up old book."   
  
Kaneda slammed shut his book. "Why I outta!" He growled jumping up and waving the book around. "Beat up old book nothing! This is the greatest book of all time!"   
  
"Well that is a matter of opinion." Katako said calmly grabbing the book and reading the cover, "anything with a name such as vulgar as "make out Paradise" isn't worth anyone's time."   
  
Kaneda stared to say something back but instead he snatched back his book folded his arms and sat down beside the couch. "Not worth my time...bull." He muttered "this is a whole load of crap.. Can't even relax after I save the day, always have someone riding me..."   
  
"Everything went over well then." Renshu said walking in  
  
"Yes father everything went smoothly." Katako said.  
  
"Good, then all of you should get some rest you are to help us rebuild the wall in the morning." Renshu commanded   
  
"WHA?! I think that we should do what the morning brings.. Which is usually sleep." Mitzuki muttered. "Which I need a lot of now I am pooped."  
  
"Well get it while you can.." Renshu mumbled   
  
"What do you mean?" Mitzuki asked   
  
"You'll see." Renshu said walking out of the room.   
  
"Great...that helps..." Mitzuki sighed   
  
What are you up to Father? Katako thought. What are you planning, or is there a plan that you aren't telling us about.... Whatever it is I doubt that it can be good.  
  
Driretlan couldn't sleep that night; she couldn't get her mind to stop wandering, So she took a walk around the monastery. She came to a large courtyard and sat on a cold stone bench. She sat staring off into the distance thinking, about anything and everything. She felt a bit worried on the condition of Kixston. Which surprised her.   
  
"I wonder what happened to him...It isn't like him to be gone this long for a fight, and I know that he would take his sweet time getting here because he is obsessed with getting to places on time." Driretlan wondered aloud. "Damn Kixston you idiot you had better get here...I don't know what these monks are up to.. But it is freaking me out." Driretlan let out a heavy sigh and laid her head in her hands "who would have guessed that I would stress over that idiot."   
  
A gust of wind caused a little dust devil in front of Driretlan. "I would have thought of it." Jin said walking into the courtyard from the entrance behind Driretlan.   
  
Driretlan turned and looked at him. "Did you have some problems sleeping too?" She asked  
  
Jin shuddered, "To say the least." He muttered remembering the dream that he had about Driretlan and this guy just beating the hell out of her.   
  
"Something wrong?"   
  
"Um.. No.." Jin smiled sitting on the bench next to her.   
  
"Then why do you look It.. Or is it just my imagination...probably is..." Driretlan muttered "My mind has been going crazy tonight anyway."   
  
"As has mine" He paused "....If you don't want to do something that those monks ask you to, then don't. It is your choice."   
  
"I know that..." She sighed "I don't think that they have it in for me or anything, but I am not willing to risk it...you back me up on that right?"   
  
"Yes one hundred percent." Jin smiled   
  
Driretlan let out a heavy sigh and started off into the distance.   
  
She looks sad again...what is she thinking about that is making her upset? Jin thought.   
  
"Dri, what's wrong?" Jin asked   
  
She didn't answer she just looked around the courtyard.   
  
Jin let out a long sigh. "Well if you aren't going to tell me I can't help."   
  
"I don't need help." Driretlan snapped "I need for everything to go back to normal. Don't get me wrong I love fighting but having some new psycho after you daily gets old. I mean if they are going to try to kill me, you would think that they would find different attack styles."   
  
Jin laughed "You know most people would rather have it that no one tried to kill them, but you just want them to use different attack styles."   
  
"Well that is me for you." She sighed. "The sooner that Kixston gets here the better. Then he can explain all of this stuff to me."  
  
"What if he doesn't know anything about this place either?" Jin asked   
  
"Well then we are screwed." Driretlan said dryly.   
  
It was quiet for a minuet and a breeze ran through the courtyard.  
  
"Jin, I've got a question for you." Driretlan muttered   
  
"What is it?" Jin asked   
  
"Well with the way that everything is going lately, I think that I have made a decision about something." She said slowly.   
  
"Yes what is your decision about?" Jin asked   
  
"After whatever is going on blows over. I am just going to travel around the world. I kind of have been stuck on my home since I was little, so I think that I am going to travel." Driretlan chuckled "That is after I do whatever weirdo ceremony that those monks want me to do."   
  
"Is that what you weren't able to sleep?" Jin asked   
  
"No, when I was walking around I heard them talking. it was weird. They kept calling me the descendent of Lady Luludi." Driretlan said "only once did they refer to me as Driretlan. I kind of found it creepy."   
  
[Well at least she knows now, Shuvanis.] Jin said   
  
[There is still allot that I am sure she doesn't know. She probably only knows that she will have to under go a ceremony. But after that they will either send her through a place called the caves of trails, or they will send her to Aviris to train with the high monk there.] Shuvanis explained.   
  
[As long as I can go I am fine with it...or will they allow that?] Jin asked   
  
[It won't be allowed but we will get around that. Both the caves and Aviris are very dangerous, I have been to both places many times in the past. In fact the caves is where the Shuvanis Panch were foraged.]   
  
[That is great, so much for helping.] Jin sighed   
  
"So what do you think Jin, wanna come with me? I know that this all sounds weird, but everything lately has been." Driretlan muttered   
  
"I would love to come with you...but what about Kixston and the others? Are you going to bring them too?" Jin asked   
  
"I have been living with Kixston for a long time, and I kinda want to break free, get away from it all." Driretlan smirked "Find some new challenges, new fights. Everything that has happened lately has made me realize how boring it is to sit around and wait for something that will never come...So I am going to start over, forget the past and use my experience to help me along in my fights."   
  
"Your bent on fighting aren't you." Jin asked   
  
"Fighting is how you decide your destiny. If you win you become stronger, if you lose and aren't killed you also become stronger but at a higher price. But if you are killed, well then that was your destiny. Destiny isn't given it is taken." Driretlan explained  
  
Jin nodded. "I understand."   
  
Driretlan looked at Jin and yawned. "Well I guess that all of this thinking has gotten me tired." She laughed "First I can't sleep because I am thinking and now I am dead tired because I was thinking. how Ironic." She stood up and stretched. "Want to walk back to the rooms with me? I kinda forgot where they were."   
  
Jin smirked "I remember, so I'll walk you." He stood up and they walked out of the courtyard and back into the building.   
  
Kixston slowly drifted back to consciousness. He found him self lying on a cold stone floor with a horrible head ache. He slowly started to sit up but stopped when the searing pain from his muscles stretching shot through his body. "Shit...where am I..." He wondered aloud.   
  
Cronic Hazel walked into the room and a bright light turned on filling the entire room from floor to ceiling with a brightness. "You are in my home, welcome." He chuckled walking from the large stone door way to the center of the room where Kixston lay. The walls were covered in various weapons of every sort and there was a table in the corner of the room where dismantled guns lay.   
  
"Who. who are you?" Kixston asked trying to sit up again, this time ignoring the pain that shot through him.   
  
"You have a horrible memory. I am Cronic Hazel, but call me Cronic...or master if you will." He said dryly pulling a chair over and sitting on it.   
  
"You. you were that guy...on the motorcycle..." Kixston coughed.   
  
"Correct. So your memory isn't so bad after all." Cronic sighed.   
  
"How...did I get...here....and why am I here?" Kixston asked   
  
"Firstly I brought you, and secondly you are here because I need you to be. See at first I just saved you from dieing to piss a few people off. But then it dawned on me that you might serve a better purpose." Cronic explained   
  
"What kind...of purpose?"   
  
"Well, you see since I saved your life and all now you owe me. There is something going on, on the main land soon. It is a little competition for this very special weapon. I want you to get me this weapon. See I would enter that competition myself, but I have other things that I must do when it is taking place. so I want you and your little friends to enter and win."   
  
"What if....they don't want to?" Kixston asked   
  
"Then I kill all of you. See if you don't do this then you still owe me. So I can kill you with out feeling bad about it. Which will tick off your friends and I will have to kill them too." Cronic said "So it is a win situation for me."   
  
"You...have really thought this one over hu?" Kixston muttered "But there is one problem..."   
  
"And what is that?"  
  
"I can't fight......like this so you've...lucked out buddy." Kixston smirked "And even if I could...neither of us know where, 'my friends' are."   
  
"Oh, you know.." Cronic sneered "But you don't want to involve them, listen you don't have to make this hard on yourself. Just tell me where your friends are and I will get you to them. Then I will arrange for you to get to the competition. It is simple."   
  
"Well...you drive a hard bargain.....but you have to make me a deal with in a deal." Kixston coughed   
  
"Listening."   
  
"After we win this for you....you have to leave us alone....got it?"   
  
"I got it. So where are your friends?" Cronic asked   
  
"It depends on which ones you mean. Some are in a village and some are elsewhere." Kixston smirked   
  
"both...we'll get them in the same place." Cronic smirked  
  
This guy is a total idiot. Cronic thought. Once I get that weapon I will be unstoppable and I will kill him and all of his friends, so they cannot interfere with any of my future plans. This whole thing is fool proof, this idiot just doesn't know it.   
  
The next morning came far too early for Driretlan. She woke up to sunlight shining right into her eyes.  
  
"Great," She muttered "Nature's wake up call." She rolled over and looked at Ichigo's bed to see that she was gone. "Well seems as though that I have been abandoned." Driretlan sat up and threw the blankets aside. She got up and spun her legs to the side of her bed, she got up and walked to the door. As Driretlan touched the door knob she remembered her weapons. "Shit...Can't go on with out those, might need me." Driretlan walked over to the side of her bed and bent down reaching for the weapons. They weren't there."What the...I put them there last night, before I fell asleep. I know it..maybe Ichigo took them, for some reason..." She stammered trying to reassure herself that they weren't stolen. Driretlan shook her head and walked out of the room and smacked right into Jin in the hall way. "Watch it......oh it's just you." She sighed   
  
"You look stressed." He said in a nervous tone.   
  
"Yea, my weapons are gone." Driretlan said plainly, she looked at Jin. "Do you mind if I borrow your sword again? I promise I won't burn it to a crisp this time."   
  
"Sure I guess so." Jin smirked uniting the sword and sheath from his back. He handed it to Driretlan and she tied it to her waist.   
  
"What's up with you....you look bugged."   
  
"I am not....not really. The high priest want you, he says that it is time." Jin stammered.   
  
"Oohh...all right." She smirked. Driretlan placed a hand on Jin's shoulder, "Don't worry about it, if I can deal with an army of the undead then I can do some stupid ceremony for a monk."   
  
Jin started to say something then thought better of it.   
  
Only if you have seen what I have seen, maybe then you would quit being so cocky. Jin thought. Let's hope that it isn't anything like Shuvanis's vision.  
  
Driretlan walked down the hall to the main chamber where there were a large groups of monks gathered around a candle lit table. Jin was close behind her. "Let's hope that they aren't holding demon sacrifices here, if so we are toast." Driretlan smirked looking back at Jin.   
  
Jin managed a nervous smile.   
  
[There is no need to fret. From what I have seen of her this should be very simple for her.] Shuvanis said.   
  
[Fighting and having some one administer pain to you with out you being able to fight back are two totally different things.] Jin sighed [She might fight back though so those monks will have to watch it.]   
  
[Then maybe once and for all they will learn their lesson about this ceremony....even back in the days after Lady Luludi's death they used it, and it had the same result. It either badly injured the participant or....]  
  
[Or what Shuvanis, I don't like to be kept when it comes to this type of thing.] Jin said coldly.   
  
In his entire life I do not recall seeing Jin acting in such a way. Shuvanis thought. His outlook is normally very optimistic and he is normally very cheerful. This on the other hand has him acting oddly. Maybe this attitude change will change the outcome of some of my visions.  
  
[Or someone else's life is taken in their place to give them more energy for the task ahead. IT is normally a family member, but in her case it would have to be the person who is closest to her out of you two.] Shuvanis explained   
  
Jin's eyes widened and he swallowed hard, [and by that you mean me don't you? don't answer that.] he sighed putting on a nervous smile.   
  
Driretlan walked to the center of the room. "So what is on the agenda for today?" She asked sitting down.   
  
"The agenda, is you are going to be filled in on your heritage and your mission in life." One of the monks said.   
  
"Sounds like fun to me fire away." Driretlan smirked.   
  
The high priest cleared his throat and spoke in a loud booming voice. "You are the descendent of Lady Luludi, the great priestess who vanquished the evil Javelin." He started  
  
"Okay rewind a bit, who is this Jevlin guy and why was he so evil? I could be considered evil to you know. I want the specifics on this." Driretlan smirked  
  
The ought to tie up the priest for a while and hopefully by the time he is done, Kixston would have shown up, to help me with this ceremony thing. Driretlan thought.   
  
"Well then I shall start from the beginning milady." The priest said, "Long ago there was a great and powerful magician named, Shuvanis. He lived for thousands of years traveling, collecting knowledge and great magical power as he explored our great world. When he decided that his time of ending was growing near, he traveled back to his traditional home to find that his only relative was his nephew Jevlin. By tradition Shuvanis was supposed to pass down his power to Jevlin. But Shuvanis saw that there was great evil in Jevlin's heart and he didn't want to pass on his powers to him. So Shuvanis went to a friend of this that was a great forger, and he had him forge weapons that he could put his powers into so that Jevlin would never get a hold of them.   
  
Six long years the blacksmith worked on the design for these great weapons. Shuvanis grew doubtful in those long years that his friend would be able to keep Jevlin from obtaining the weapons, so Shuvanis came up with a grand plan. After he transferred his power to the weapons he would reincarnate his spirit. which in turn would allow him to watch over the weapons for the rest of eternity. But before he could even do that he had to go make a plea with the gods asking the right to have his soul passed on from generation to generation.   
  
While Shuvanis was gone Jevlin discovered the plan and decided that he would take action. After Shuvanis got his plan approved he returned to earth from the heaven plane, the blacksmith had finished the weapons completely. Shuvanis started the ceremony to pass on his spirit then transferred his power to the weapons. Shuvanis had to break his power into five pieces, because it was so vast. The five weapons were then each separately named by the blacksmith's wife in order to honor their friend. Out of the five weapons there were two swords, a staff, an axe, and a spear. The two swords were named, Terrifen (meaning the darkness), and Kaulo (meaning black), these were the two weapons that held the most destructive power, their power was drawn from Shuvanis' dark magic. Then there were the other three, the spear Rarti, the staff Mumeli, and the axe Jivaben. the blacksmith then named the group of weapons "Shuvanis Panch" and placed them deep in the caverns of the cave in which they were foraged.   
  
The blacksmith watched over the weapons for fifteen years before he was murdered by Jevlin. After the death of the blacksmith his only daughter Luludi swore revenge on Jevlin. With the weapons Jevlin went on a mass killing spree, he became known as the 'blood lord of Aviris.' Luludi went to the high monk of Aviris asking him to train her to help stop Jevlin. The high monk accepted and began Luludi's training. She had powers that no normal human or demon could have with out years and years of training. Luludi's training took three years in total. She had trained day and night to gather up enough power to match the "Shuvanis Panch." Alas while Luludi was training Jevlin had destroyed most of the world and he was killing all who opposed him.   
  
Luludi came into a huge battle with Jevlin and with the help of a mysterious boy she defeated him. She then sealed Jevlin's wicked soul into weapons. During the battle the Terrifen had broken, a section of the blade broke off of it. Luludi then took the broken piece and created a new weapon, 'spell breaker' then she reformed Terrifen turning it into a Katana. After the battle was over she had taken some time to think, Lady Luludi vowed that for the rest of eternity her ancestors would watch over the weapons making sure that they would never be used for evil again. But the wicked soul of Jevlin turned the vow to a curse, if the weapons were ever to reach their full power, the descendent of Luludi was to loose their soul and his was to be released. The curse also took another horrible turn, the descendent whose soul released the power could only be female, so if the curse was ever to take full effect the line of protectors would end." The monk took a deep breath and looked at Driretlan desperately, "Another has come up that has Jevlin's admissions and we need you to stop him."   
  
Driretlan was still adsorbing all of the information that was given to her, she let out a long sigh. "Whoa hold it old man...if that guy needs my soul to get the full power. Then why don't I lay low until he croaks? Problem solved right?"   
  
The high priest shook his head. "He can still unite the weapons and use them to destroy the earth, with out them even having to be at full power. So we need you to kill him and dispel the energy."   
  
"Hold it! I am not doing that. I will just get those weapons and lay low for a while okay. There is no way that I am facing some 'I want to take over the world psycho' not now not ever." Driretlan snapped  
  
[You didn't expect that did you, Shuvanis.] Jin chuckled   
  
[Actually, I did. But she will participate in the end.] Shuvanis said.   
  
[Did you have another premonition?] Jin asked   
  
[No, but I believe that she wouldn't back away from a challenge.]  
  
"Milady please reconsider your decision." The priest said.   
  
"If anything it would be a challenge, you would go through the toughest training that you have ever dared to endure. Making you the most powerful demon on the planet, beings you have those weapons and all." A tall man said walking out of the shadows. He had long black hair and deep cold brown eyes.   
  
"Who are you?" Driretlan asked "And why do you give a care?"   
  
"I am Darius, and i would be the one to do your pre-avrirs training. If you want to take this on that is." He smirked "But if you don't want to then I understand, I mean you wouldn't want to get embarrassed because you quit your training."   
  
"Why I outta! I won't back down! I'll take on your stupid training! This will be a synch!" Driretlan yelled hopping up.   
  
"I knew that you would agree milady, even if it did take Daruis' brute comments to do it." The high priest said   
  
"Well, it did work did it not?" Daruis chuckled.   
  
Driretlan shook her head and laughed, "Well you are in for hell buddy! you don't know who you are messing with."   
  
"Oh contraire, I do know. You are Driretlan daughter of Rarti and Chirilo. Younger sister of Lunus." Daruis sighed "Am I close yet?"   
  
"How did you know who my parents were?!" She demanded, she barely knew them herself and it was inconceivable that a complete stranger knew them.   
  
"I will explain all of that after you undergo the ceremony and start my training...oh you might want these back." Darius tossed Driretlan her weapons.   
  
She caught them then watched him as he went.   
  
Who in the hell is that? She thought. And how does he know what he knows?  
  
Daruis spun around and looked at Driretlan "As I said before, all will be explained in my training. So just listen to the high priest and do as you are told." Daruis turned back around and walked into the shadows of the dark hall.   
  
Driretlan let out a deep sigh. "Well I guess that you should start that thing now hu?" She smirked "So what do I have to do?"   
  
"You must enter and successfully escape the caves of Trials with out being killed. First you will have to undergo a simple test that will be administered by several of our highest trained monks. You will have thirty minutes to prepare for this test, after that time is up you are to report to the courtyard." The priest instructed.   
  
Driretlan nodded. "Piece of cake." She sighed "So I'll be there in thirty minuets tell your monks to be ready for me." Driretlan sheathed her weapons and walked out of the room. She walked up a narrow hall to an outer door, which she flung open, soaking in the bright rays of sun which poured onto her thereafter. "Well I might as well enjoy the sunlight while I can. I doubt that the cave will be very bright."  
  
Well you did get yourself into that Dri, you let your cockiness and quick temper get in your way. She thought. I only hope that this stupid test will be easy so I can get in and out of that cave, then I can find the blockhead and make him explain.  
  
Jin walked out of the door then leaned up against the wall watching Driretlan train. "This isn't going to be easy Dri, so be careful." Jin muttered   
  
Down in hell Johnny wasn't going to easy on Lunus. It was all fire and brimstone literally Lunus was in the middle of a huge cavern he was on a small island that was surrounded by lava. Johnny sat on a throne across from the small island glaring at Lunus. Lunus had an sickening look on his face as he lay in the center of the little island.   
  
"So what are you going to do with me now?" Lunus asked "You can't exactly kill me."   
  
"Silence you fool!" Johnny yelled "You have betrayed me! I do not tolerate betrayal."   
  
"Well that is a bit obvious." Lunus chuckled  
  
Johnny let out a low growl and all of the demons that had been watching fled for the had never seen him this angry before. "I am sick of your mouthiness!"  
  
"Well it is just how I am." Lunus smirked   
  
"It isn't how you are anymore. I thought that I would be doing you a favor by allowing you to keep your soul your identity. but now I see my fatal error. you could not be trusted, I should have known that by allowing you to keep your soul you would be flawed an imperfect solider." Johnny boomed "now I will transform you into the perfect solider. The soulless warrior the thing that won't disobey my orders, and won't have emotions what so ever!" Johnny stood up and raised his fist into the air. The air in the area thickened and all of the flames that were burning bright behind the throne were sucked into Johnny's fist. "Do you have any last words Lunus?"   
  
"Yea I do. You are a total fool that deserves no ones respect. You make a joke out of being the ruler of hell. You are supposed to be the prince of darkness yet you hold open the door for women. Pch. It is sad. and I am sorry that I had to serve under a being such as you." Lunus sneered   
  
Johnny clenched his teeth together and tossed the ball of mass fire at Lunus. It hit him with immense force and his body started to act as if he was being electrified. Lunus started to go into a violent seizer then his body rose into the air and he yelled out in pain as a deep red glow surrounded his body. A silhouetted version of his body came forth from the flames and went into Johnny's palm. Then Lunus' body quit moving and he fell back to the ground with a small amount of steam rising from the corpse. "It was your choice." Johnny mumbled as he sat back down at his throne. He signaled and a demon walked up to him.  
  
"Yes.....sir..." It stammered   
  
"Take this to the lake of fire and dispose of it. Then fetch me Darkwolf but when you do. Do not lay one finger on her." Johnny ordered   
  
"Yes sir." it groaned walking off.   
  
Johnny watched the corpse of Lunus, "I guess that I should give it some orders so it doesn't just lay there." Johnny sighed   
  
Lunus sat up and rubbed his head. "Wha...what happened." He groaned, his voice sounded slightly different it was deep yet it had a different tone to it.   
  
"What the?!" Johnny gasped "But I stole his soul!"   
  
Lunus looked over at Johnny "Who! Who are you? And where... am I?" He scrambled backwards until he come closer to the lava. He stood up shakily and his arms fell at his side a bit limply.  
  
"Your in hell Lunus, I brought you here." Johnny snapped "Don't play stupid with me."  
  
"Johnny...I have never heard of you before....what do you want with me.....I have to get back...." Lunus stammered   
  
"Get back where? To your little fight, that has been long broken up now you must pay the penalty for betraying me." Johnny growled   
  
This is truly odd though. How is he able to function I haven't even given him the ability to yet. Johnny thought. How is he doing this? I need to fix this problem, and quick.  
  
"I never did anything to you. I don't even know who you are....I have to get out of here." Lunus said quickly "I will be leaving."   
  
"No I am afraid that you won't be." Johnny said "I will show you the true power of the Prince of Darkness. I will show you the side that no one else has seen before." Johnny's hair spiked up with intensity and his eyes glowed a deep red, the temperature in the room suddenly spiked to a unbearable high. "So the question is, are you ready."   
  
Lunus took a weak fighting stance and stared down Johnny.   
  
I can't fight this guy, I strangely don't have enough energy. and he seems to be feeding off the surroundings. Lunus thought. I have to find a way out. I don't have time to deal with this guy. I doubt that Kixston has the capability to take care of my sister for long or the patience for that matter. I have to get back and take care of her.  
  
Johnny stepped forward and gathered a ball of fire into his palm. "Wanna play?" he threw the energy at Lunus. He tried to dodge but he was stuck and he couldn't move. When the ball struck there was a loud bang and the room lit up for a second. When the light faded Hotaru lay in front of Lunus in a heap. "Hotaru?!" Johnny gasped   
  
"Yea....it is me.....don't get all pissed.......I know something you don't is all......." Hotaru stammered standing up. "You can't...kill him....I'll explain later...." Hotaru grabbed onto Lunus  
  
"Who are you?" He asked quickly.   
  
"An old friend...don't worry." Hotaru said. She concentrated then teleported Lunus and her out of hell.   
  
Johnny let out a frustrated sigh. "This is turning out to be a bad day." He groaned flying over to his throne and slumping down into it. "I need a plot...I haven't come up with one in a long time...and that would be the perfect way to vent my frustrations."  
  
Cronic Hazel brought Kixston to the outer village and dropped him off. "Now don't forget to tell your friends about our little deal." He chuckled as he peeled out on his motorcycle.   
  
"Jack ass." Kixston muttered as he picked himself up off of the ground. He dusted himself off a bit and looked around. "I guess that I will start with this group."   
  
I don't want to go to Dri yet. I bet that there is more to Cronic's plan than what he is telling me. And I don't want to drag her, Ichigo, and the kid into it. Kixston thought. For now I will deal with Mitzuki and the others they will be the easiest to sway anyway.  
  
Kixston walked up to the main gate and saw that it was partly destroyed. "What happened here?" He walked through the gap in the gate and into the village. The houses where mostly ruined form what seemed to be fire damage and the place was a wreck compared to what it was before he left. "What the hell....How did something like this happen? I thought that the outer wall kept the vampires out of the village." He wondered as he wandered through the village. He looked around and listened carefully the village was like a ghost town he didn't' see or hear anyone. "is everyone dead?" Kixston walked back to Renshu's house and he heard the noise of hammers and people working off to his left. He looked straight down the street and he saw the villagers working. He let out a sigh of relief and walked down the street. He could feel the pain in his body returning as he approached the group of workers.   
  
Damn Cronic, he must have only given me a temporary healing mixture. Kixston thought. I should have known that he would pull a trick like that.  
  
Renshu spotted Kixston and he dropped what he was doing and signaled for Katako to follow him. They both ran over to him.   
  
"Kixston are you okay?" Katako asked   
  
"I will be, I am just feeling a bit of pain." Kixston growled as another surge of pain rushed through him. "What happened here?"   
  
"There was an attack several days ago by a winged man and a woman with immense power. They had a group of troops with them." Katako explained.   
  
"A winged man......" Kixston muttered remembering his fight with Lunus.   
  
A winged guy came and took Lunus it have been the same one that attacked the village? Kixston thought.   
  
"I wonder the attack here and Lunus are connected." Kixston mumbled "Could they be?"   
  
"What is wrong?" Katako asked   
  
"Ah, it is nothing." Kixston smirked   
  
"Well then lets get you cleaned up." Renshu said "See to it Katako, and while you are inside make sure that Sharon has what she needs."   
  
Katako nodded and started to usher of Kixston.   
  
"What happened to Sharon?" He asked as he was pushed through the front doors of the house.   
  
"She was poisoned." Katako said plainly "But Kaneda and SuperX got the cure. So she will be fine. "  
  
"Kaneda....why does that name ring such a bell."   
  
"Because we've met before. and I am sure that my lazy little brother has mentioned me before." Kaneda said coming off the wall.   
  
"I thought that you were working." Katako snapped   
  
"I was, I just came in to get a drink." Kaneda smirked   
  
"Your brother? I am not sure that I know who you are talking about."   
  
"Sure you know him. He was traveling around with you a while back. His name is Lunus." Kaneda said  
  
"Lunus?....Are you sure.....that means that you are!" Kixston gasped "We have to leave right away."  
  
"Not before you are healed." Katako scolded   
  
"I will heal with time....time which we don't have to waste." Kixston said urgently   
  
"What in the hell are you talking about?!" Kaneda asked  
  
"We have to get to the monastery! If we don't Driretlan could die!" Kixston yelled out of frustration.   
  
"What?! She could die because I am Lunus' brother?"   
  
"No! You are the blood guardian you have to be present at the monastery. I am not sure why but Lunus was very specific about it....I never thought about it before now..he told me that if he died and things started to happen that I should find the last blood guardian and take her to the monastery." Kixston explained   
  
Then a memory suddenly washed over Kaneda.   
  
Kaneda and Lunus were standing outside a cave in the middle of the night under a full moon and the air was thick with tension. Lunus was in a long cloak and you could barely see his shaggy blue hair poking out from under it. "Kaneda...I have something important to tell you before I leave to take care of something...if something ever happens to me...remember that you are the last blood guardian, since mother and father and me would all be passed on. You must take care of her it is your job as the guardian to be present at the ceremony. Or else it could prove fatal to both you and her."   
  
"Who are you talking about Lunus? And why all the seriousness all of the sudden?" Kaneda asked   
  
"I am speaking of your blood, you must take care of her...I must go now. I don't trust him with her in the night." Lunus said disappearing.   
  
Kaneda faded back into reality. "So, what are we waiting for then lets get going."   
  
Kixston nodded and both him and Kaneda headed for the door then Kaneda froze "Wait...does this mean that Lunus died?"   
  
Kixston nodded slowly "Yes it happened seven years ago."   
  
Kaneda mourned in silence for his brother for a moment then he walked out the front door. "Well then, I have just one thing left to ask you."   
  
"What is it?" Kixston asked   
  
"Have you taken good care of my blood?"   
  
Kixston nodded "you wouldn't even recognize her if you saw her."  
  
"Probably wouldn't. I didn't even know that I was related to her." Kaneda sighed   
  
Every time I check my family gets bigger...well at least I might be able to make up with lost time on this one. Since I am her only living relative as of now. Kaneda thought.   
  
Driretlan had already started her test thus far she was finding it far more simple than she ever thought that it would be. She spin kicked another monk that she was fighting away.   
  
"Come on. If I am supposed to fight these guys as a test then I think that you should go back to the drawing board on it."She laughed looking at the fallen warrior monks.   
  
The high priest smiled "Well, enact phase two."   
  
The monks nodded and pulled them selves off of the ground. They all charged her at once chanting something under their breath.   
  
"something tells me that isn't a good chant." Ichigo muttered as her and Jin watched from afar.   
  
Jin nodded not taking his eyes off of the fight.   
  
Driretlan tried to meet the monks with an attack but she seemed to hit some sort of barrier."What the" She gasped as the monks surrounded her in a tight circle. She tried to attack again with out any success. "Well this sucks." She tried to jump over the monks but she hit another barrier. "Okay this is unfair! Fight me fist to fist! Not barrier to fist!"   
  
The monks chuckled a bit.   
  
"You know nothing of the ritual do you?" Darius asked walking out from the monastery. "This is what is supposed to happen. Next you experience pain beyond any that you have ever experienced before. Then if you live through that you can enter the cave, if not you aren't worthy."   
  
Driretlan let out a low growl, "What a dirty rotten trick!" She yelled "You guys are supposed to be monks!"  
  
"You accepted the test, this was part of the test. Didn't your mother teach you to be more careful about these types of things?" Darius asked   
  
"No, My mother and I didn't have a very long relationship." Driretlan growled  
  
"Sorry, milady but you did agree. Begin phase two." The high priest commanded.  
  
The monks nodded and a huge amount of energy started to emanate from their bodies. The monks chanted in a low tone and the air started to pop and crack from their energy out put. Then their energy burst inward onto Driretlan who put on a cocky smile as the attacks hit her. She just clenched her teeth as the amount of pain in her body rose up to a rate that she could barely stand.   
  
"This isn't to smart of them." Ichigo commented   
  
"Why do you say that?" Darius asked   
  
"You haven't seen Driretlan in a real fight before. She feeds off of pain. It is almost like the more pain that is inflicted the stronger she becomes." Jin explained watched the whole thing very closely.   
  
"No need to worry, kid. Well at least not yet." Daruis said  
  
Jin glared at him for a second then focused back on Driretlan who looked like she was going to kill something.   
  
"You do realize that you had best kill me now. Before I escape cause once I do, monk or not you going to get your ass kicked." She growled through clenched teeth.   
  
I don't know how easy it will be to train her. she seems awful headstrong. Darius thought. I am not sure thought...that might be her downfall, I will see if she ever is able to escape the cave.  
  
Driretlan's energy suddenly spiked and exploded out ward, but it was caught by the shield around the monks reflecting back at her. The ground underneath her crumbled as the energy hit her and her legs started to fail causing her to fall into the crater that she had created. "Damn...no wonder...my enemies don't have...a high..survival rate." She laughed picking herself back up. Blood ran down her arms and legs staining her skin light red.   
  
"So when does this test end?" Jin asked a little nervous.  
  
"I am not sure...I have never watched one before, all the others were far before my time." Daruis said   
  
"What?!" Jin snapped   
  
Crap, if they expect her to give in or something she will bleed to death long before her pride will allow her to submit. Jin thought. Then what good is their test if it kills her? What is that priest up to?  
  
"Make them stop!" Ichigo yelled "She can barely stand up! What kind of whacked out test is this?!" Ichigo stomped her foot and glared at the priest coldly.   
  
The air was still, and silent except for the crackling noise from the force field and the noise of blood dripping steadily into a puddle of crimson liquid. Driretlan looked up at the monks who were holding the force feild together above her. She took deep steady breaths to conserve what energy she had left.   
  
Damn, why didn't I think about it being a trap...that is what this probably is. and why didn't my attack give me energy...normally that much pain would have spiked my energy level. Driretlan thought. Maybe it is because I know that I can't attack them, or because it was my attack.  
  
A wind blew across the grass causing it to wave and leaves from the nearby forest flew by.   
  
[Jin now would be the time to attack.] Shuvanis said   
  
[But they are priests and monks.] Jin argued   
  
[Trust me on this, attack them now! Unless you want her to die, do as I say.] Shuvanis commanded   
  
Jin nodded, [They were starting to make me mad anyway...] Jin turned the light breeze that was in the area to a powerful whirlwind.   
  
The priest turned his attention to Jin. "And what pray tell are you doing?" He asked   
  
"I want you to stop your absurd test. I won't take it any longer." Jin growled   
  
"Me too!" Ichigo said chiming in  
  
The priest smiled and nodded to his monks who dropped the shield. "You passed." He said   
  
Driretlan looked up at the priest "What in the hell...do you mean..." She growled   
  
"You weren't the one who this test was for. It was for your friends, they did as they were supposed to do." The priest explained   
  
"So...your..saying....that you bastards tricked me?!" Driretlan yelled "You did all of this for nothing?!" She started to climb out of her hole but wasn't doing the best job of it.   
  
Jin walked over to the side of the hole and leaned down "Need help?" he asked out stretching his arm.   
  
Driretlan nodded slowly and took Jin's hand. He pulled her out of the hole and helped her stand on solid ground. Blood had pooled in the bottom of the crater from Driretlan's heavy bleeding.   
  
"I suggest that we get you taken care of." Jin smiled "Before your test starts."  
  
"I am afraid that is not how the policy goes." Daruis said   
  
"What do you mean? I thought that you haven't seen a test before so you didn't know what was going on." Ichigo pointed out.   
  
"I haven't seen a test but I know how they work. Driretlan will go directly into the caves from here with out outside interference." Daruis explained  
  
"That is ridicules." Jin growled "Let her heal a bit first. What good is she to you dead?"   
  
"I will be fine..." Driretlan smirked "Just give me a few bandages.....and I can take care....of myself."   
  
Jin looked at her and forced a smile.   
  
There are times that I wonder about you, Driretlan. Jin thought. Sometimes you are far to cocky for your own good.   
  
Ichigo brought Driretlan some bandages and she quickly wrapped her major wounds up.   
  
"Are you ready to be lead to your test?" The priest asked   
  
Driretlan smirked "Of course...let's move."   
  
The priest nodded and started to walk off, he was closely followed by his monks. Driretlan started to follow him but she noticed that Jin and Ichigo weren't following as well. "You guys can follow...if that damned priest says anything about it I will back out of this test..so come on." Driretlan insisted   
  
Jin and Ichigo nodded and followed Driretlan. They walked from the clearing into a small forest that was thick with energy.   
  
[Where are they leading her?] Jin asked   
  
[To the cave of trials, that is where the Shuvanis Panch were created and where I did much of my training. Many restless spirits inhabit that cave.] Shuvanis explained [I believe that they wish her to be able to fight off the spirits of the cave while trying to reach the end.]  
  
[What is the point in that?] Jin asked   
  
[In her journey to come her enemies will do anything to seize control of her body and more importantly her soul. They would even posses her body to do that. So she must learn how to fight off possession.] Shuvanis said dryly  
  
[What if she is too weak to fight of possession?] Jin asked   
  
[Then the ghosts will tear away at her soul by over crowding her body and she will never be the same again.]   
  
[That is cheery.] Jin sighed   
  
After walking through the forest for a while they came to a large cave mouth. Haunting noises came from the innards of the cave bellowing outward passed the group, the closer they came to the cave the louder the noises.   
  
"Sounds like someone is upset....."Driretlan laughed "...I will give them a real reason...to...be...upset."   
  
The priest nodded. "Then you are ready milady?" He asked   
  
"Sure...it can't kill me...it is just some stupid cave.." She chuckled, Driretlan reached onto her belt and her hand ran across Jin's sword. "oh..yea...I had better give this back.." She pulled the sheath off of her belt and walked it over to Jin. "Here yaw go...I'll be back in a flash okay...do quit looking morbid...smile."   
  
Jin smiled and took the sword. "Dri can you do me a favor while you are in there?" Jin asked   
  
"Sure...what is it?"   
  
"Don't get killed....there are still things that you have to take care of out here...besides I don't want to wait out here for too long." Jin smirked   
  
Driretlan laughed "Gotcha..well see you guys on the flipside...." She turned on her heels and walked back into the cave and her figure faded into the shadows.   
  
The priest said a quick prayer then him and his monks started to leave. Ichigo followed them but as they were walking into the forest the priest turned back and looked at Jin. "Are you going to accompany us?" He asked   
  
"No. I'll just wait out here." Jin smiled "Go on with out me, and don't worry I won't go in."   
  
The priest nodded and everyone but Jin left. He just sat up against a tree and started to play his flute drowning out all of the noises from the cave.   
  
Lunus walked out of the area where Hotaru had brought him after transporting him out of hell. His head was swimming with everything that she had told him.   
  
Has it actually been eight years? And was I really killed by that mysterious man that Hotaru was talking about? And did I truly work under that Johnny person? If so how come I am how I am now? How come I can't remember anything? And why did Hotaru help me? The way that she described my other personality was horrible, why would she help me after he treated her so badly. And why I am I so much different than him. It was like it was a whole other person. Lunus thought as he walked away. And if everyone believes me to be dead how am I to contact my sister? Or could I contact...him....Kaneda would surely believe me. We are brothers after all...I just hope that he is still his old self. but if somehow he has gotten word of my death what do I do then. And since I am still technically dead will my body dissipate? Like a rotting corpse, or is it possible that my death was just a rouse. I am here after all and if I was truly dead I wouldn't have been able to leave the underworld with out permission of the king.   
  
"maybe you are still alive Lunus, maybe you are making a big deal out of nothing. You should just find your sister and make sure that it is taken care of." Lunus thought aloud. "I just wish that, Hotaru would have stuck around for me to properly thank her for her help and guidance. Or at least give her assistance with her wounds." Lunus slowly walked out onto a massive set of plains. He wasn't sure where he was or if he knew if he would be able to find the monastery in time.   
  
Save up your energy Lunus, then you can teleport to your sister if you are needed. Lunus thought.   
  
He slumped down and laid his head on the soft grass closing his eyes and taking a much needed rest.   
  
"Yes, rest well Lunus. You will need all the energy that you can get...this world is not as you remembered it. Everyone is at each others throats wanting something, you had best be careful. I can't always rescue you." Hotaru muttered from the shadows of a large boulder. "Some day you will have to take care of yourself.....heck what am I saying he will always have to take care of himself...and that sister of his." she then picked her self up and disappeared.   
  
Deep groans emanated from the hallows of the almost never ending cave. Driretlan walked through carefully trying not to trip or run into an enemy. The place was pitch black and the air was so thick with magical residue and spirits that it made it almost heard to breath. Driretlan took deep breaths of the air finding some sort of familiarity in the fragrance that it left in her nostrils. She reached onto her belt fumbling for spell breaker, when she found it she pulled it out of the sheath muttering a quick fire summon that didn't take a lot of energy. "erif catoris." A small flame appeared on Spell Breaker giving the cavern a light glow. Suddenly the flame erupted and covered all of Spell Breaker making the entire room visible. "Well that is an...improvement." As she ventured further into the cave, the sudden flood of spirits sent her senses wild. She could see the ghostly outline of some of them drifting in front of her making their low moans and groans as if it were a cry to her to help. "Sorry I don't' revive people..i kill them." The noises suddenly stopped as she jumped from a small ledge into the next cavern. The only noise was the steady drops of water hitting the cold stone. Driretlan heard the distant sound of raging wind and she spun around looking at the area that she had just exited. The sound of the wind suddenly stopped as quickly as it had come. "Man..i hate caves....I would rather face a flesh eating monster than this...wait I have already done that...oh well..." She walked on in the cave deciding to hum to her self t pass the time.   
  
This is such a stupid test. where is the challenge in taking a joy walk in a cave? Driretlan thought.   
  
Driretlan was sick of walking so she sat up against a wall sliding down to the cold ground. Her wounds bothered her, they stung as her warm blood trickled out. Even with the bandages tied tightly on she still felt the blood coming out.   
  
If this doesn't stop soon I will bleed to death. and like Jin said I still have a lot to do before I can die. She thought.   
  
Driretlan closed her eyes to gather her concentration when a sudden noise across from her caused to snap her eyes open. The ghostly figure of a woman stood before her, the ghostly figure of her mother. Driretlan stood up with her body pressed up against the wall tightly.   
  
"No need to worry, my child. I will take care of you." The ghost said softly   
  
"Yea, sure. After you kill me right...there is always a catch." Driretlan scooted away from the ghost and she sprinted across the room. She wasn't paying attention to where she was running and she tripped over a rock and Spell Breaker slid across the floor from her hands. "Shit."   
  
She tried to get onto her feet but wasn't able to fast enough. The ghost was right in front of her again.   
  
"Don't worry all of your pain will be relieved soon." The ghost disappeared then Driretlan felt a sharp pain in her stomach and she yelped as the ghost tried to integrate into her body and take control.   
  
"You call that relieving pain?" She yelled as she curled up into a ball grabbing her stomach.   
  
From the darkest parts of the cave the low moans started once more and a mass of ghosts swarmed to Driretlan. They forced their way into her body, each one bringing more pain with it. Driretlan crawled to a wall and climbed to her feet. She shakily started to walk toward Spell Breaker still holding her stomach. "You...think...that...you..can...take...me...down? Not...likely." she stammered. She walked forward a few more steps before she fell to the ground coughing. "Damned...dead..things....they always screw...me...over." She clenched her eyes closed as the pain tore through her entire body. Like someone had taken a knife and slowly dug it into her flesh turning it slowly every second. She heaved up and rolled over letting out a piercing scream as her soul started to be eaten away. She fought off every ghost with every once of energy that she could find. She rolled over to a wall and pulled out the Terrifen stabbing it deep into the rock and using it to stand back up. She then started to throw punches into the rock wall cracking it a little bit more each time. "DAMNIT!!!" She yelled   
  
Why do you get yourself into these things again? And how will you get out of this one? She thought. There is no way out of this one...face it, you fucked up big time on this one.... And you are going to let every one down because you aren't strong enough. Because you can't fight off a few lousy ghosts. I thought that ghosts were supposed to be harmless anyway.... I am going to kill who ever started that.   
  
Driretlan had another wave of tearing pain shoot through her body and she fell to her knees and started to punch the wall again. Then she pulled out the Terrifen and stabbed it into the ground. She stood up once more then took a step, then she lifted the Terrifen stabbed it into the ground a little further away and started the process over again. She walked across the room this way fighting off the urge to cut her own head off just to stop the pain, which took a while. She spotted Spell Breaker on the ground and slowly bent over to pick it up but she fell to the ground. "Great..." She sheathed spell breaker and used the Terrifen to stand once more.   
  
"Give up!" A haunting voice echoed   
  
"That is.. Wonderful...now...even...the...voices are...against me." She stammered in a daze.   
  
Outside the cave Jin sat impatiently watching the mouth.   
  
[You need to go in now.] Shuvanis said   
  
[No, this is her test she can do it on her own.] Jin argued   
  
[Not this time...Go inside Jin before it is too late.] Shuvanis urged.   
  
[No. She can do it. I have faith.] Jin smiled   
  
A scream echoed from the mouth of the cave and reached Jin's ears. He recognized the scream and he snapped to his feet.   
  
[Faith does little if there isn't anything to back it up.] Shuvanis said [Go, now and hurry.]   
  
Jin nodded and ran into the cave using the wind to speed him up. Once he was to a certain point in the cave his wind wouldn't work anymore and he just had to run hoping that he was fast enough. He followed the screams and finally came to the cavern where Driretlan lay. Her body glowed with an eerie light.   
  
[You must do exactly as I say. The process has already began and we must stop it now.] Shuvanis instructed.   
  
[What do I do?] Jin asked as he ran over to Driretlan   
  
[Allow my spirit to control your body for a moment. I posses the power to reverse it.] Shuvanis commanded   
  
[How do I do that?] Jin asked   
  
[Just let go of everything. All though, all actions, all control. Quickly.]   
  
Jin shut his eyes and did as he was instructed letting go of everything. He felt his control slip away from him and suddenly he was a by stander in a show that decided the fate of another.  
  
Shuvanis took control of Jin's body and his hands started to glow with a light like the one that was around Driretlan's body.   
  
The ghosts that were in Driretlan were dispelled and she was sent into a sudden seizure as the spirits left her body. Once Shuvanis was done with his procedure Driretlan's head fell to the side. She had passed out. Shuvanis gave Jin control of his body once more and Jin felt a drain of energy when he regained control. He leaned back onto his elbows and took a deep breath.   
  
[Those spirits will not return I sent them on. You can rest easily now.]   
  
[What about Driretlan? Is she okay?] He asked   
  
[She will be fine with time.... but she is very low on energy.]   
  
[She'll get it back I guarantee you. She won't give up that easily.] Jin smiled picking up Driretlan's head and laying it on his leg so it wouldn't be on the cave floor. Jin then laid down himself and drifted off into a deep sleep.   
  
During the night Jin awoke suddenly, he looked around the room. He felt an immense amount of energy nearby and it didn't seem too friendly. He left out a long sigh and looked at Driretlan who laid half couscous.   
  
"You saved me didn't you?" She asked   
  
Jin smiled and nodded   
  
"Well...thanks...I guess that I will have to repay you someday...for caring." She sighed sitting up.   
  
"No, that isn't necessary." Jin said  
  
"Sure it is.. You have saved my ass once again." Driretlan smirked   
  
"That is because I don't' want to see you killed.... I.. I.." Jin stammered   
  
Driretlan leaned in and softly kissed Jin on the lips cutting him off. "I hate it when people stammer.... Especially when the other person knows what they are wanting to say." Driretlan chuckled leaning her head on his shoulder. "I hope you don't mind....I am still really tired." She started to fall asleep again.   
  
"Dri?" Jin muttered   
  
"What?" She asked   
  
"I am glad that you are here to save...otherwise I would still be some wandering wind warrior with out a care in the world." Jin explained   
  
"Well.. I am glad that you are here to save me...." She mumbled falling asleep.   
  
Kaneda, Kixston and the others who insisted on coming along came to the main gate of the Monastery.   
  
So this is where I will meet my little sister, and where all will be explained eh? Kaneda thought. Looks a little bit plain to me.   
  
You had better of kept her safe kid. Or I will rip you a new one when I see you. Kixston thought. I put my trust in you Jin, you had better not have broken it. 


	7. Given Destiny chapter 7

Chapter 7  
  
Kaneda raced back to Renshu's house and to the room that Sharon was in. He slid into the room and skidded to a stop in front of the couch that she lay on. "Well this had better work." He muttered uncapping the flask and kneeling down beside Sharon. He used his free hand to sit her up then he poured the contents of the flask into her mouth.   
  
Sharon swallowed the water then mumbled something.   
  
Kaneda let out a sigh relief and slinked down beside the couch. "Well now that, that is done." He smirked. He reached behind his chest armor and pulled out his book, setting aside the flask. He reached up onto a nearby table and pulled down a lamp and used it so he could see what he was reading. "Ahh, now this is much better."   
  
Katako walked into the room followed by Kayko.   
  
Kayko let out a dreamy sigh as watched Kaneda.   
  
"That is ridiculous..."Katako muttered "how could someone read the same book all of the time?"   
  
"It is a good book is how," Kaneda said not taking his eyes off of the book. "You should try to find a copy."   
  
"No, thank you." Katako smirked "I have better things to do then sit around and read a beat up old book."   
  
Kaneda slammed shut his book. "Why I outta!" He growled jumping up and waving the book around. "Beat up old book nothing! This is the greatest book of all time!"   
  
"Well that is a matter of opinion." Katako said calmly grabbing the book and reading the cover, "anything with a name such as vulgar as "make out Paradise" isn't worth anyone's time."   
  
Kaneda stared to say something back but instead he snatched back his book folded his arms and sat down beside the couch. "Not worth my time...bull." He muttered "this is a whole load of crap.. Can't even relax after I save the day, always have someone riding me..."   
  
"Everything went over well then." Renshu said walking in  
  
"Yes father everything went smoothly." Katako said.  
  
"Good, then all of you should get some rest you are to help us rebuild the wall in the morning." Renshu commanded   
  
"WHA?! I think that we should do what the morning brings.. Which is usually sleep." Mitzuki muttered. "Which I need a lot of now I am pooped."  
  
"Well get it while you can.." Renshu mumbled   
  
"What do you mean?" Mitzuki asked   
  
"You'll see." Renshu said walking out of the room.   
  
"Great...that helps..." Mitzuki sighed   
  
What are you up to Father? Katako thought. What are you planning, or is there a plan that you aren't telling us about.... Whatever it is I doubt that it can be good.  
  
Driretlan couldn't sleep that night; she couldn't get her mind to stop wandering, So she took a walk around the monastery. She came to a large courtyard and sat on a cold stone bench. She sat staring off into the distance thinking, about anything and everything. She felt a bit worried on the condition of Kixston. Which surprised her.   
  
"I wonder what happened to him...It isn't like him to be gone this long for a fight, and I know that he would take his sweet time getting here because he is obsessed with getting to places on time." Driretlan wondered aloud. "Damn Kixston you idiot you had better get here...I don't know what these monks are up to.. But it is freaking me out." Driretlan let out a heavy sigh and laid her head in her hands "who would have guessed that I would stress over that idiot."   
  
A gust of wind caused a little dust devil in front of Driretlan. "I would have thought of it." Jin said walking into the courtyard from the entrance behind Driretlan.   
  
Driretlan turned and looked at him. "Did you have some problems sleeping too?" She asked  
  
Jin shuddered, "To say the least." He muttered remembering the dream that he had about Driretlan and this guy just beating the hell out of her.   
  
"Something wrong?"   
  
"Um.. No.." Jin smiled sitting on the bench next to her.   
  
"Then why do you look It.. Or is it just my imagination...probably is..." Driretlan muttered "My mind has been going crazy tonight anyway."   
  
"As has mine" He paused "....If you don't want to do something that those monks ask you to, then don't. It is your choice."   
  
"I know that..." She sighed "I don't think that they have it in for me or anything, but I am not willing to risk it...you back me up on that right?"   
  
"Yes one hundred percent." Jin smiled   
  
Driretlan let out a heavy sigh and started off into the distance.   
  
She looks sad again...what is she thinking about that is making her upset? Jin thought.   
  
"Dri, what's wrong?" Jin asked   
  
She didn't answer she just looked around the courtyard.   
  
Jin let out a long sigh. "Well if you aren't going to tell me I can't help."   
  
"I don't need help." Driretlan snapped "I need for everything to go back to normal. Don't get me wrong I love fighting but having some new psycho after you daily gets old. I mean if they are going to try to kill me, you would think that they would find different attack styles."   
  
Jin laughed "You know most people would rather have it that no one tried to kill them, but you just want them to use different attack styles."   
  
"Well that is me for you." She sighed. "The sooner that Kixston gets here the better. Then he can explain all of this stuff to me."  
  
"What if he doesn't know anything about this place either?" Jin asked   
  
"Well then we are screwed." Driretlan said dryly.   
  
It was quiet for a minuet and a breeze ran through the courtyard.  
  
"Jin, I've got a question for you." Driretlan muttered   
  
"What is it?" Jin asked   
  
"Well with the way that everything is going lately, I think that I have made a decision about something." She said slowly.   
  
"Yes what is your decision about?" Jin asked   
  
"After whatever is going on blows over. I am just going to travel around the world. I kind of have been stuck on my home since I was little, so I think that I am going to travel." Driretlan chuckled "That is after I do whatever weirdo ceremony that those monks want me to do."   
  
"Is that what you weren't able to sleep?" Jin asked   
  
"No, when I was walking around I heard them talking. it was weird. They kept calling me the descendent of Lady Luludi." Driretlan said "only once did they refer to me as Driretlan. I kind of found it creepy."   
  
[Well at least she knows now, Shuvanis.] Jin said   
  
[There is still allot that I am sure she doesn't know. She probably only knows that she will have to under go a ceremony. But after that they will either send her through a place called the caves of trails, or they will send her to Aviris to train with the high monk there.] Shuvanis explained.   
  
[As long as I can go I am fine with it...or will they allow that?] Jin asked   
  
[It won't be allowed but we will get around that. Both the caves and Aviris are very dangerous, I have been to both places many times in the past. In fact the caves is where the Shuvanis Panch were foraged.]   
  
[That is great, so much for helping.] Jin sighed   
  
"So what do you think Jin, wanna come with me? I know that this all sounds weird, but everything lately has been." Driretlan muttered   
  
"I would love to come with you...but what about Kixston and the others? Are you going to bring them too?" Jin asked   
  
"I have been living with Kixston for a long time, and I kinda want to break free, get away from it all." Driretlan smirked "Find some new challenges, new fights. Everything that has happened lately has made me realize how boring it is to sit around and wait for something that will never come...So I am going to start over, forget the past and use my experience to help me along in my fights."   
  
"Your bent on fighting aren't you." Jin asked   
  
"Fighting is how you decide your destiny. If you win you become stronger, if you lose and aren't killed you also become stronger but at a higher price. But if you are killed, well then that was your destiny. Destiny isn't given it is taken." Driretlan explained  
  
Jin nodded. "I understand."   
  
Driretlan looked at Jin and yawned. "Well I guess that all of this thinking has gotten me tired." She laughed "First I can't sleep because I am thinking and now I am dead tired because I was thinking. how Ironic." She stood up and stretched. "Want to walk back to the rooms with me? I kinda forgot where they were."   
  
Jin smirked "I remember, so I'll walk you." He stood up and they walked out of the courtyard and back into the building.   
  
Kixston slowly drifted back to consciousness. He found him self lying on a cold stone floor with a horrible head ache. He slowly started to sit up but stopped when the searing pain from his muscles stretching shot through his body. "Shit...where am I..." He wondered aloud.   
  
Cronic Hazel walked into the room and a bright light turned on filling the entire room from floor to ceiling with a brightness. "You are in my home, welcome." He chuckled walking from the large stone door way to the center of the room where Kixston lay. The walls were covered in various weapons of every sort and there was a table in the corner of the room where dismantled guns lay.   
  
"Who. who are you?" Kixston asked trying to sit up again, this time ignoring the pain that shot through him.   
  
"You have a horrible memory. I am Cronic Hazel, but call me Cronic...or master if you will." He said dryly pulling a chair over and sitting on it.   
  
"You. you were that guy...on the motorcycle..." Kixston coughed.   
  
"Correct. So your memory isn't so bad after all." Cronic sighed.   
  
"How...did I get...here....and why am I here?" Kixston asked   
  
"Firstly I brought you, and secondly you are here because I need you to be. See at first I just saved you from dieing to piss a few people off. But then it dawned on me that you might serve a better purpose." Cronic explained   
  
"What kind...of purpose?"   
  
"Well, you see since I saved your life and all now you owe me. There is something going on, on the main land soon. It is a little competition for this very special weapon. I want you to get me this weapon. See I would enter that competition myself, but I have other things that I must do when it is taking place. so I want you and your little friends to enter and win."   
  
"What if....they don't want to?" Kixston asked   
  
"Then I kill all of you. See if you don't do this then you still owe me. So I can kill you with out feeling bad about it. Which will tick off your friends and I will have to kill them too." Cronic said "So it is a win situation for me."   
  
"You...have really thought this one over hu?" Kixston muttered "But there is one problem..."   
  
"And what is that?"  
  
"I can't fight......like this so you've...lucked out buddy." Kixston smirked "And even if I could...neither of us know where, 'my friends' are."   
  
"Oh, you know.." Cronic sneered "But you don't want to involve them, listen you don't have to make this hard on yourself. Just tell me where your friends are and I will get you to them. Then I will arrange for you to get to the competition. It is simple."   
  
"Well...you drive a hard bargain.....but you have to make me a deal with in a deal." Kixston coughed   
  
"Listening."   
  
"After we win this for you....you have to leave us alone....got it?"   
  
"I got it. So where are your friends?" Cronic asked   
  
"It depends on which ones you mean. Some are in a village and some are elsewhere." Kixston smirked   
  
"both...we'll get them in the same place." Cronic smirked  
  
This guy is a total idiot. Cronic thought. Once I get that weapon I will be unstoppable and I will kill him and all of his friends, so they cannot interfere with any of my future plans. This whole thing is fool proof, this idiot just doesn't know it.   
  
The next morning came far too early for Driretlan. She woke up to sunlight shining right into her eyes.  
  
"Great," She muttered "Nature's wake up call." She rolled over and looked at Ichigo's bed to see that she was gone. "Well seems as though that I have been abandoned." Driretlan sat up and threw the blankets aside. She got up and spun her legs to the side of her bed, she got up and walked to the door. As Driretlan touched the door knob she remembered her weapons. "Shit...Can't go on with out those, might need me." Driretlan walked over to the side of her bed and bent down reaching for the weapons. They weren't there."What the...I put them there last night, before I fell asleep. I know it..maybe Ichigo took them, for some reason..." She stammered trying to reassure herself that they weren't stolen. Driretlan shook her head and walked out of the room and smacked right into Jin in the hall way. "Watch it......oh it's just you." She sighed   
  
"You look stressed." He said in a nervous tone.   
  
"Yea, my weapons are gone." Driretlan said plainly, she looked at Jin. "Do you mind if I borrow your sword again? I promise I won't burn it to a crisp this time."   
  
"Sure I guess so." Jin smirked uniting the sword and sheath from his back. He handed it to Driretlan and she tied it to her waist.   
  
"What's up with you....you look bugged."   
  
"I am not....not really. The high priest want you, he says that it is time." Jin stammered.   
  
"Oohh...all right." She smirked. Driretlan placed a hand on Jin's shoulder, "Don't worry about it, if I can deal with an army of the undead then I can do some stupid ceremony for a monk."   
  
Jin started to say something then thought better of it.   
  
Only if you have seen what I have seen, maybe then you would quit being so cocky. Jin thought. Let's hope that it isn't anything like Shuvanis's vision.  
  
Driretlan walked down the hall to the main chamber where there were a large groups of monks gathered around a candle lit table. Jin was close behind her. "Let's hope that they aren't holding demon sacrifices here, if so we are toast." Driretlan smirked looking back at Jin.   
  
Jin managed a nervous smile.   
  
[There is no need to fret. From what I have seen of her this should be very simple for her.] Shuvanis said.   
  
[Fighting and having some one administer pain to you with out you being able to fight back are two totally different things.] Jin sighed [She might fight back though so those monks will have to watch it.]   
  
[Then maybe once and for all they will learn their lesson about this ceremony....even back in the days after Lady Luludi's death they used it, and it had the same result. It either badly injured the participant or....]  
  
[Or what Shuvanis, I don't like to be kept when it comes to this type of thing.] Jin said coldly.   
  
In his entire life I do not recall seeing Jin acting in such a way. Shuvanis thought. His outlook is normally very optimistic and he is normally very cheerful. This on the other hand has him acting oddly. Maybe this attitude change will change the outcome of some of my visions.  
  
[Or someone else's life is taken in their place to give them more energy for the task ahead. IT is normally a family member, but in her case it would have to be the person who is closest to her out of you two.] Shuvanis explained   
  
Jin's eyes widened and he swallowed hard, [and by that you mean me don't you? don't answer that.] he sighed putting on a nervous smile.   
  
Driretlan walked to the center of the room. "So what is on the agenda for today?" She asked sitting down.   
  
"The agenda, is you are going to be filled in on your heritage and your mission in life." One of the monks said.   
  
"Sounds like fun to me fire away." Driretlan smirked.   
  
The high priest cleared his throat and spoke in a loud booming voice. "You are the descendent of Lady Luludi, the great priestess who vanquished the evil Javelin." He started  
  
"Okay rewind a bit, who is this Jevlin guy and why was he so evil? I could be considered evil to you know. I want the specifics on this." Driretlan smirked  
  
The ought to tie up the priest for a while and hopefully by the time he is done, Kixston would have shown up, to help me with this ceremony thing. Driretlan thought.   
  
"Well then I shall start from the beginning milady." The priest said, "Long ago there was a great and powerful magician named, Shuvanis. He lived for thousands of years traveling, collecting knowledge and great magical power as he explored our great world. When he decided that his time of ending was growing near, he traveled back to his traditional home to find that his only relative was his nephew Jevlin. By tradition Shuvanis was supposed to pass down his power to Jevlin. But Shuvanis saw that there was great evil in Jevlin's heart and he didn't want to pass on his powers to him. So Shuvanis went to a friend of this that was a great forger, and he had him forge weapons that he could put his powers into so that Jevlin would never get a hold of them.   
  
Six long years the blacksmith worked on the design for these great weapons. Shuvanis grew doubtful in those long years that his friend would be able to keep Jevlin from obtaining the weapons, so Shuvanis came up with a grand plan. After he transferred his power to the weapons he would reincarnate his spirit. which in turn would allow him to watch over the weapons for the rest of eternity. But before he could even do that he had to go make a plea with the gods asking the right to have his soul passed on from generation to generation.   
  
While Shuvanis was gone Jevlin discovered the plan and decided that he would take action. After Shuvanis got his plan approved he returned to earth from the heaven plane, the blacksmith had finished the weapons completely. Shuvanis started the ceremony to pass on his spirit then transferred his power to the weapons. Shuvanis had to break his power into five pieces, because it was so vast. The five weapons were then each separately named by the blacksmith's wife in order to honor their friend. Out of the five weapons there were two swords, a staff, an axe, and a spear. The two swords were named, Terrifen (meaning the darkness), and Kaulo (meaning black), these were the two weapons that held the most destructive power, their power was drawn from Shuvanis' dark magic. Then there were the other three, the spear Rarti, the staff Mumeli, and the axe Jivaben. the blacksmith then named the group of weapons "Shuvanis Panch" and placed them deep in the caverns of the cave in which they were foraged.   
  
The blacksmith watched over the weapons for fifteen years before he was murdered by Jevlin. After the death of the blacksmith his only daughter Luludi swore revenge on Jevlin. With the weapons Jevlin went on a mass killing spree, he became known as the 'blood lord of Aviris.' Luludi went to the high monk of Aviris asking him to train her to help stop Jevlin. The high monk accepted and began Luludi's training. She had powers that no normal human or demon could have with out years and years of training. Luludi's training took three years in total. She had trained day and night to gather up enough power to match the "Shuvanis Panch." Alas while Luludi was training Jevlin had destroyed most of the world and he was killing all who opposed him.   
  
Luludi came into a huge battle with Jevlin and with the help of a mysterious boy she defeated him. She then sealed Jevlin's wicked soul into weapons. During the battle the Terrifen had broken, a section of the blade broke off of it. Luludi then took the broken piece and created a new weapon, 'spell breaker' then she reformed Terrifen turning it into a Katana. After the battle was over she had taken some time to think, Lady Luludi vowed that for the rest of eternity her ancestors would watch over the weapons making sure that they would never be used for evil again. But the wicked soul of Jevlin turned the vow to a curse, if the weapons were ever to reach their full power, the descendent of Luludi was to loose their soul and his was to be released. The curse also took another horrible turn, the descendent whose soul released the power could only be female, so if the curse was ever to take full effect the line of protectors would end." The monk took a deep breath and looked at Driretlan desperately, "Another has come up that has Jevlin's admissions and we need you to stop him."   
  
Driretlan was still adsorbing all of the information that was given to her, she let out a long sigh. "Whoa hold it old man...if that guy needs my soul to get the full power. Then why don't I lay low until he croaks? Problem solved right?"   
  
The high priest shook his head. "He can still unite the weapons and use them to destroy the earth, with out them even having to be at full power. So we need you to kill him and dispel the energy."   
  
"Hold it! I am not doing that. I will just get those weapons and lay low for a while okay. There is no way that I am facing some 'I want to take over the world psycho' not now not ever." Driretlan snapped  
  
[You didn't expect that did you, Shuvanis.] Jin chuckled   
  
[Actually, I did. But she will participate in the end.] Shuvanis said.   
  
[Did you have another premonition?] Jin asked   
  
[No, but I believe that she wouldn't back away from a challenge.]  
  
"Milady please reconsider your decision." The priest said.   
  
"If anything it would be a challenge, you would go through the toughest training that you have ever dared to endure. Making you the most powerful demon on the planet, beings you have those weapons and all." A tall man said walking out of the shadows. He had long black hair and deep cold brown eyes.   
  
"Who are you?" Driretlan asked "And why do you give a care?"   
  
"I am Darius, and i would be the one to do your pre-avrirs training. If you want to take this on that is." He smirked "But if you don't want to then I understand, I mean you wouldn't want to get embarrassed because you quit your training."   
  
"Why I outta! I won't back down! I'll take on your stupid training! This will be a synch!" Driretlan yelled hopping up.   
  
"I knew that you would agree milady, even if it did take Daruis' brute comments to do it." The high priest said   
  
"Well, it did work did it not?" Daruis chuckled.   
  
Driretlan shook her head and laughed, "Well you are in for hell buddy! you don't know who you are messing with."   
  
"Oh contraire, I do know. You are Driretlan daughter of Rarti and Chirilo. Younger sister of Lunus." Daruis sighed "Am I close yet?"   
  
"How did you know who my parents were?!" She demanded, she barely knew them herself and it was inconceivable that a complete stranger knew them.   
  
"I will explain all of that after you undergo the ceremony and start my training...oh you might want these back." Darius tossed Driretlan her weapons.   
  
She caught them then watched him as he went.   
  
Who in the hell is that? She thought. And how does he know what he knows?  
  
Daruis spun around and looked at Driretlan "As I said before, all will be explained in my training. So just listen to the high priest and do as you are told." Daruis turned back around and walked into the shadows of the dark hall.   
  
Driretlan let out a deep sigh. "Well I guess that you should start that thing now hu?" She smirked "So what do I have to do?"   
  
"You must enter and successfully escape the caves of Trials with out being killed. First you will have to undergo a simple test that will be administered by several of our highest trained monks. You will have thirty minutes to prepare for this test, after that time is up you are to report to the courtyard." The priest instructed.   
  
Driretlan nodded. "Piece of cake." She sighed "So I'll be there in thirty minuets tell your monks to be ready for me." Driretlan sheathed her weapons and walked out of the room. She walked up a narrow hall to an outer door, which she flung open, soaking in the bright rays of sun which poured onto her thereafter. "Well I might as well enjoy the sunlight while I can. I doubt that the cave will be very bright."  
  
Well you did get yourself into that Dri, you let your cockiness and quick temper get in your way. She thought. I only hope that this stupid test will be easy so I can get in and out of that cave, then I can find the blockhead and make him explain.  
  
Jin walked out of the door then leaned up against the wall watching Driretlan train. "This isn't going to be easy Dri, so be careful." Jin muttered   
  
Down in hell Johnny wasn't going to easy on Lunus. It was all fire and brimstone literally Lunus was in the middle of a huge cavern he was on a small island that was surrounded by lava. Johnny sat on a throne across from the small island glaring at Lunus. Lunus had an sickening look on his face as he lay in the center of the little island.   
  
"So what are you going to do with me now?" Lunus asked "You can't exactly kill me."   
  
"Silence you fool!" Johnny yelled "You have betrayed me! I do not tolerate betrayal."   
  
"Well that is a bit obvious." Lunus chuckled  
  
Johnny let out a low growl and all of the demons that had been watching fled for the had never seen him this angry before. "I am sick of your mouthiness!"  
  
"Well it is just how I am." Lunus smirked   
  
"It isn't how you are anymore. I thought that I would be doing you a favor by allowing you to keep your soul your identity. but now I see my fatal error. you could not be trusted, I should have known that by allowing you to keep your soul you would be flawed an imperfect solider." Johnny boomed "now I will transform you into the perfect solider. The soulless warrior the thing that won't disobey my orders, and won't have emotions what so ever!" Johnny stood up and raised his fist into the air. The air in the area thickened and all of the flames that were burning bright behind the throne were sucked into Johnny's fist. "Do you have any last words Lunus?"   
  
"Yea I do. You are a total fool that deserves no ones respect. You make a joke out of being the ruler of hell. You are supposed to be the prince of darkness yet you hold open the door for women. Pch. It is sad. and I am sorry that I had to serve under a being such as you." Lunus sneered   
  
Johnny clenched his teeth together and tossed the ball of mass fire at Lunus. It hit him with immense force and his body started to act as if he was being electrified. Lunus started to go into a violent seizer then his body rose into the air and he yelled out in pain as a deep red glow surrounded his body. A silhouetted version of his body came forth from the flames and went into Johnny's palm. Then Lunus' body quit moving and he fell back to the ground with a small amount of steam rising from the corpse. "It was your choice." Johnny mumbled as he sat back down at his throne. He signaled and a demon walked up to him.  
  
"Yes.....sir..." It stammered   
  
"Take this to the lake of fire and dispose of it. Then fetch me Darkwolf but when you do. Do not lay one finger on her." Johnny ordered   
  
"Yes sir." it groaned walking off.   
  
Johnny watched the corpse of Lunus, "I guess that I should give it some orders so it doesn't just lay there." Johnny sighed   
  
Lunus sat up and rubbed his head. "Wha...what happened." He groaned, his voice sounded slightly different it was deep yet it had a different tone to it.   
  
"What the?!" Johnny gasped "But I stole his soul!"   
  
Lunus looked over at Johnny "Who! Who are you? And where... am I?" He scrambled backwards until he come closer to the lava. He stood up shakily and his arms fell at his side a bit limply.  
  
"Your in hell Lunus, I brought you here." Johnny snapped "Don't play stupid with me."  
  
"Johnny...I have never heard of you before....what do you want with me.....I have to get back...." Lunus stammered   
  
"Get back where? To your little fight, that has been long broken up now you must pay the penalty for betraying me." Johnny growled   
  
This is truly odd though. How is he able to function I haven't even given him the ability to yet. Johnny thought. How is he doing this? I need to fix this problem, and quick.  
  
"I never did anything to you. I don't even know who you are....I have to get out of here." Lunus said quickly "I will be leaving."   
  
"No I am afraid that you won't be." Johnny said "I will show you the true power of the Prince of Darkness. I will show you the side that no one else has seen before." Johnny's hair spiked up with intensity and his eyes glowed a deep red, the temperature in the room suddenly spiked to a unbearable high. "So the question is, are you ready."   
  
Lunus took a weak fighting stance and stared down Johnny.   
  
I can't fight this guy, I strangely don't have enough energy. and he seems to be feeding off the surroundings. Lunus thought. I have to find a way out. I don't have time to deal with this guy. I doubt that Kixston has the capability to take care of my sister for long or the patience for that matter. I have to get back and take care of her.  
  
Johnny stepped forward and gathered a ball of fire into his palm. "Wanna play?" he threw the energy at Lunus. He tried to dodge but he was stuck and he couldn't move. When the ball struck there was a loud bang and the room lit up for a second. When the light faded Hotaru lay in front of Lunus in a heap. "Hotaru?!" Johnny gasped   
  
"Yea....it is me.....don't get all pissed.......I know something you don't is all......." Hotaru stammered standing up. "You can't...kill him....I'll explain later...." Hotaru grabbed onto Lunus  
  
"Who are you?" He asked quickly.   
  
"An old friend...don't worry." Hotaru said. She concentrated then teleported Lunus and her out of hell.   
  
Johnny let out a frustrated sigh. "This is turning out to be a bad day." He groaned flying over to his throne and slumping down into it. "I need a plot...I haven't come up with one in a long time...and that would be the perfect way to vent my frustrations."  
  
Cronic Hazel brought Kixston to the outer village and dropped him off. "Now don't forget to tell your friends about our little deal." He chuckled as he peeled out on his motorcycle.   
  
"Jack ass." Kixston muttered as he picked himself up off of the ground. He dusted himself off a bit and looked around. "I guess that I will start with this group."   
  
I don't want to go to Dri yet. I bet that there is more to Cronic's plan than what he is telling me. And I don't want to drag her, Ichigo, and the kid into it. Kixston thought. For now I will deal with Mitzuki and the others they will be the easiest to sway anyway.  
  
Kixston walked up to the main gate and saw that it was partly destroyed. "What happened here?" He walked through the gap in the gate and into the village. The houses where mostly ruined form what seemed to be fire damage and the place was a wreck compared to what it was before he left. "What the hell....How did something like this happen? I thought that the outer wall kept the vampires out of the village." He wondered as he wandered through the village. He looked around and listened carefully the village was like a ghost town he didn't' see or hear anyone. "is everyone dead?" Kixston walked back to Renshu's house and he heard the noise of hammers and people working off to his left. He looked straight down the street and he saw the villagers working. He let out a sigh of relief and walked down the street. He could feel the pain in his body returning as he approached the group of workers.   
  
Damn Cronic, he must have only given me a temporary healing mixture. Kixston thought. I should have known that he would pull a trick like that.  
  
Renshu spotted Kixston and he dropped what he was doing and signaled for Katako to follow him. They both ran over to him.   
  
"Kixston are you okay?" Katako asked   
  
"I will be, I am just feeling a bit of pain." Kixston growled as another surge of pain rushed through him. "What happened here?"   
  
"There was an attack several days ago by a winged man and a woman with immense power. They had a group of troops with them." Katako explained.   
  
"A winged man......" Kixston muttered remembering his fight with Lunus.   
  
A winged guy came and took Lunus it have been the same one that attacked the village? Kixston thought.   
  
"I wonder the attack here and Lunus are connected." Kixston mumbled "Could they be?"   
  
"What is wrong?" Katako asked   
  
"Ah, it is nothing." Kixston smirked   
  
"Well then lets get you cleaned up." Renshu said "See to it Katako, and while you are inside make sure that Sharon has what she needs."   
  
Katako nodded and started to usher of Kixston.   
  
"What happened to Sharon?" He asked as he was pushed through the front doors of the house.   
  
"She was poisoned." Katako said plainly "But Kaneda and SuperX got the cure. So she will be fine. "  
  
"Kaneda....why does that name ring such a bell."   
  
"Because we've met before. and I am sure that my lazy little brother has mentioned me before." Kaneda said coming off the wall.   
  
"I thought that you were working." Katako snapped   
  
"I was, I just came in to get a drink." Kaneda smirked   
  
"Your brother? I am not sure that I know who you are talking about."   
  
"Sure you know him. He was traveling around with you a while back. His name is Lunus." Kaneda said  
  
"Lunus?....Are you sure.....that means that you are!" Kixston gasped "We have to leave right away."  
  
"Not before you are healed." Katako scolded   
  
"I will heal with time....time which we don't have to waste." Kixston said urgently   
  
"What in the hell are you talking about?!" Kaneda asked  
  
"We have to get to the monastery! If we don't Driretlan could die!" Kixston yelled out of frustration.   
  
"What?! She could die because I am Lunus' brother?"   
  
"No! You are the blood guardian you have to be present at the monastery. I am not sure why but Lunus was very specific about it....I never thought about it before now..he told me that if he died and things started to happen that I should find the last blood guardian and take her to the monastery." Kixston explained   
  
Then a memory suddenly washed over Kaneda.   
  
Kaneda and Lunus were standing outside a cave in the middle of the night under a full moon and the air was thick with tension. Lunus was in a long cloak and you could barely see his shaggy blue hair poking out from under it. "Kaneda...I have something important to tell you before I leave to take care of something...if something ever happens to me...remember that you are the last blood guardian, since mother and father and me would all be passed on. You must take care of her it is your job as the guardian to be present at the ceremony. Or else it could prove fatal to both you and her."   
  
"Who are you talking about Lunus? And why all the seriousness all of the sudden?" Kaneda asked   
  
"I am speaking of your blood, you must take care of her...I must go now. I don't trust him with her in the night." Lunus said disappearing.   
  
Kaneda faded back into reality. "So, what are we waiting for then lets get going."   
  
Kixston nodded and both him and Kaneda headed for the door then Kaneda froze "Wait...does this mean that Lunus died?"   
  
Kixston nodded slowly "Yes it happened seven years ago."   
  
Kaneda mourned in silence for his brother for a moment then he walked out the front door. "Well then, I have just one thing left to ask you."   
  
"What is it?" Kixston asked   
  
"Have you taken good care of my blood?"   
  
Kixston nodded "you wouldn't even recognize her if you saw her."  
  
"Probably wouldn't. I didn't even know that I was related to her." Kaneda sighed   
  
Every time I check my family gets bigger...well at least I might be able to make up with lost time on this one. Since I am her only living relative as of now. Kaneda thought.   
  
Driretlan had already started her test thus far she was finding it far more simple than she ever thought that it would be. She spin kicked another monk that she was fighting away.   
  
"Come on. If I am supposed to fight these guys as a test then I think that you should go back to the drawing board on it."She laughed looking at the fallen warrior monks.   
  
The high priest smiled "Well, enact phase two."   
  
The monks nodded and pulled them selves off of the ground. They all charged her at once chanting something under their breath.   
  
"something tells me that isn't a good chant." Ichigo muttered as her and Jin watched from afar.   
  
Jin nodded not taking his eyes off of the fight.   
  
Driretlan tried to meet the monks with an attack but she seemed to hit some sort of barrier."What the" She gasped as the monks surrounded her in a tight circle. She tried to attack again with out any success. "Well this sucks." She tried to jump over the monks but she hit another barrier. "Okay this is unfair! Fight me fist to fist! Not barrier to fist!"   
  
The monks chuckled a bit.   
  
"You know nothing of the ritual do you?" Darius asked walking out from the monastery. "This is what is supposed to happen. Next you experience pain beyond any that you have ever experienced before. Then if you live through that you can enter the cave, if not you aren't worthy."   
  
Driretlan let out a low growl, "What a dirty rotten trick!" She yelled "You guys are supposed to be monks!"  
  
"You accepted the test, this was part of the test. Didn't your mother teach you to be more careful about these types of things?" Darius asked   
  
"No, My mother and I didn't have a very long relationship." Driretlan growled  
  
"Sorry, milady but you did agree. Begin phase two." The high priest commanded.  
  
The monks nodded and a huge amount of energy started to emanate from their bodies. The monks chanted in a low tone and the air started to pop and crack from their energy out put. Then their energy burst inward onto Driretlan who put on a cocky smile as the attacks hit her. She just clenched her teeth as the amount of pain in her body rose up to a rate that she could barely stand.   
  
"This isn't to smart of them." Ichigo commented   
  
"Why do you say that?" Darius asked   
  
"You haven't seen Driretlan in a real fight before. She feeds off of pain. It is almost like the more pain that is inflicted the stronger she becomes." Jin explained watched the whole thing very closely.   
  
"No need to worry, kid. Well at least not yet." Daruis said  
  
Jin glared at him for a second then focused back on Driretlan who looked like she was going to kill something.   
  
"You do realize that you had best kill me now. Before I escape cause once I do, monk or not you going to get your ass kicked." She growled through clenched teeth.   
  
I don't know how easy it will be to train her. she seems awful headstrong. Darius thought. I am not sure thought...that might be her downfall, I will see if she ever is able to escape the cave.  
  
Driretlan's energy suddenly spiked and exploded out ward, but it was caught by the shield around the monks reflecting back at her. The ground underneath her crumbled as the energy hit her and her legs started to fail causing her to fall into the crater that she had created. "Damn...no wonder...my enemies don't have...a high..survival rate." She laughed picking herself back up. Blood ran down her arms and legs staining her skin light red.   
  
"So when does this test end?" Jin asked a little nervous.  
  
"I am not sure...I have never watched one before, all the others were far before my time." Daruis said   
  
"What?!" Jin snapped   
  
Crap, if they expect her to give in or something she will bleed to death long before her pride will allow her to submit. Jin thought. Then what good is their test if it kills her? What is that priest up to?  
  
"Make them stop!" Ichigo yelled "She can barely stand up! What kind of whacked out test is this?!" Ichigo stomped her foot and glared at the priest coldly.   
  
The air was still, and silent except for the crackling noise from the force field and the noise of blood dripping steadily into a puddle of crimson liquid. Driretlan looked up at the monks who were holding the force feild together above her. She took deep steady breaths to conserve what energy she had left.   
  
Damn, why didn't I think about it being a trap...that is what this probably is. and why didn't my attack give me energy...normally that much pain would have spiked my energy level. Driretlan thought. Maybe it is because I know that I can't attack them, or because it was my attack.  
  
A wind blew across the grass causing it to wave and leaves from the nearby forest flew by.   
  
[Jin now would be the time to attack.] Shuvanis said   
  
[But they are priests and monks.] Jin argued   
  
[Trust me on this, attack them now! Unless you want her to die, do as I say.] Shuvanis commanded   
  
Jin nodded, [They were starting to make me mad anyway...] Jin turned the light breeze that was in the area to a powerful whirlwind.   
  
The priest turned his attention to Jin. "And what pray tell are you doing?" He asked   
  
"I want you to stop your absurd test. I won't take it any longer." Jin growled   
  
"Me too!" Ichigo said chiming in  
  
The priest smiled and nodded to his monks who dropped the shield. "You passed." He said   
  
Driretlan looked up at the priest "What in the hell...do you mean..." She growled   
  
"You weren't the one who this test was for. It was for your friends, they did as they were supposed to do." The priest explained   
  
"So...your..saying....that you bastards tricked me?!" Driretlan yelled "You did all of this for nothing?!" She started to climb out of her hole but wasn't doing the best job of it.   
  
Jin walked over to the side of the hole and leaned down "Need help?" he asked out stretching his arm.   
  
Driretlan nodded slowly and took Jin's hand. He pulled her out of the hole and helped her stand on solid ground. Blood had pooled in the bottom of the crater from Driretlan's heavy bleeding.   
  
"I suggest that we get you taken care of." Jin smiled "Before your test starts."  
  
"I am afraid that is not how the policy goes." Daruis said   
  
"What do you mean? I thought that you haven't seen a test before so you didn't know what was going on." Ichigo pointed out.   
  
"I haven't seen a test but I know how they work. Driretlan will go directly into the caves from here with out outside interference." Daruis explained  
  
"That is ridicules." Jin growled "Let her heal a bit first. What good is she to you dead?"   
  
"I will be fine..." Driretlan smirked "Just give me a few bandages.....and I can take care....of myself."   
  
Jin looked at her and forced a smile.   
  
There are times that I wonder about you, Driretlan. Jin thought. Sometimes you are far to cocky for your own good.   
  
Ichigo brought Driretlan some bandages and she quickly wrapped her major wounds up.   
  
"Are you ready to be lead to your test?" The priest asked   
  
Driretlan smirked "Of course...let's move."   
  
The priest nodded and started to walk off, he was closely followed by his monks. Driretlan started to follow him but she noticed that Jin and Ichigo weren't following as well. "You guys can follow...if that damned priest says anything about it I will back out of this test..so come on." Driretlan insisted   
  
Jin and Ichigo nodded and followed Driretlan. They walked from the clearing into a small forest that was thick with energy.   
  
[Where are they leading her?] Jin asked   
  
[To the cave of trials, that is where the Shuvanis Panch were created and where I did much of my training. Many restless spirits inhabit that cave.] Shuvanis explained [I believe that they wish her to be able to fight off the spirits of the cave while trying to reach the end.]  
  
[What is the point in that?] Jin asked   
  
[In her journey to come her enemies will do anything to seize control of her body and more importantly her soul. They would even posses her body to do that. So she must learn how to fight off possession.] Shuvanis said dryly  
  
[What if she is too weak to fight of possession?] Jin asked   
  
[Then the ghosts will tear away at her soul by over crowding her body and she will never be the same again.]   
  
[That is cheery.] Jin sighed   
  
After walking through the forest for a while they came to a large cave mouth. Haunting noises came from the innards of the cave bellowing outward passed the group, the closer they came to the cave the louder the noises.   
  
"Sounds like someone is upset....."Driretlan laughed "...I will give them a real reason...to...be...upset."   
  
The priest nodded. "Then you are ready milady?" He asked   
  
"Sure...it can't kill me...it is just some stupid cave.." She chuckled, Driretlan reached onto her belt and her hand ran across Jin's sword. "oh..yea...I had better give this back.." She pulled the sheath off of her belt and walked it over to Jin. "Here yaw go...I'll be back in a flash okay...do quit looking morbid...smile."   
  
Jin smiled and took the sword. "Dri can you do me a favor while you are in there?" Jin asked   
  
"Sure...what is it?"   
  
"Don't get killed....there are still things that you have to take care of out here...besides I don't want to wait out here for too long." Jin smirked   
  
Driretlan laughed "Gotcha..well see you guys on the flipside...." She turned on her heels and walked back into the cave and her figure faded into the shadows.   
  
The priest said a quick prayer then him and his monks started to leave. Ichigo followed them but as they were walking into the forest the priest turned back and looked at Jin. "Are you going to accompany us?" He asked   
  
"No. I'll just wait out here." Jin smiled "Go on with out me, and don't worry I won't go in."   
  
The priest nodded and everyone but Jin left. He just sat up against a tree and started to play his flute drowning out all of the noises from the cave.   
  
Lunus walked out of the area where Hotaru had brought him after transporting him out of hell. His head was swimming with everything that she had told him.   
  
Has it actually been eight years? And was I really killed by that mysterious man that Hotaru was talking about? And did I truly work under that Johnny person? If so how come I am how I am now? How come I can't remember anything? And why did Hotaru help me? The way that she described my other personality was horrible, why would she help me after he treated her so badly. And why I am I so much different than him. It was like it was a whole other person. Lunus thought as he walked away. And if everyone believes me to be dead how am I to contact my sister? Or could I contact...him....Kaneda would surely believe me. We are brothers after all...I just hope that he is still his old self. but if somehow he has gotten word of my death what do I do then. And since I am still technically dead will my body dissipate? Like a rotting corpse, or is it possible that my death was just a rouse. I am here after all and if I was truly dead I wouldn't have been able to leave the underworld with out permission of the king.   
  
"maybe you are still alive Lunus, maybe you are making a big deal out of nothing. You should just find your sister and make sure that it is taken care of." Lunus thought aloud. "I just wish that, Hotaru would have stuck around for me to properly thank her for her help and guidance. Or at least give her assistance with her wounds." Lunus slowly walked out onto a massive set of plains. He wasn't sure where he was or if he knew if he would be able to find the monastery in time.   
  
Save up your energy Lunus, then you can teleport to your sister if you are needed. Lunus thought.   
  
He slumped down and laid his head on the soft grass closing his eyes and taking a much needed rest.   
  
"Yes, rest well Lunus. You will need all the energy that you can get...this world is not as you remembered it. Everyone is at each others throats wanting something, you had best be careful. I can't always rescue you." Hotaru muttered from the shadows of a large boulder. "Some day you will have to take care of yourself.....heck what am I saying he will always have to take care of himself...and that sister of his." she then picked her self up and disappeared.   
  
Deep groans emanated from the hallows of the almost never ending cave. Driretlan walked through carefully trying not to trip or run into an enemy. The place was pitch black and the air was so thick with magical residue and spirits that it made it almost heard to breath. Driretlan took deep breaths of the air finding some sort of familiarity in the fragrance that it left in her nostrils. She reached onto her belt fumbling for spell breaker, when she found it she pulled it out of the sheath muttering a quick fire summon that didn't take a lot of energy. "erif catoris." A small flame appeared on Spell Breaker giving the cavern a light glow. Suddenly the flame erupted and covered all of Spell Breaker making the entire room visible. "Well that is an...improvement." As she ventured further into the cave, the sudden flood of spirits sent her senses wild. She could see the ghostly outline of some of them drifting in front of her making their low moans and groans as if it were a cry to her to help. "Sorry I don't' revive people..i kill them." The noises suddenly stopped as she jumped from a small ledge into the next cavern. The only noise was the steady drops of water hitting the cold stone. Driretlan heard the distant sound of raging wind and she spun around looking at the area that she had just exited. The sound of the wind suddenly stopped as quickly as it had come. "Man..i hate caves....I would rather face a flesh eating monster than this...wait I have already done that...oh well..." She walked on in the cave deciding to hum to her self t pass the time.   
  
This is such a stupid test. where is the challenge in taking a joy walk in a cave? Driretlan thought.   
  
Driretlan was sick of walking so she sat up against a wall sliding down to the cold ground. Her wounds bothered her, they stung as her warm blood trickled out. Even with the bandages tied tightly on she still felt the blood coming out.   
  
If this doesn't stop soon I will bleed to death. and like Jin said I still have a lot to do before I can die. She thought.   
  
Driretlan closed her eyes to gather her concentration when a sudden noise across from her caused to snap her eyes open. The ghostly figure of a woman stood before her, the ghostly figure of her mother. Driretlan stood up with her body pressed up against the wall tightly.   
  
"No need to worry, my child. I will take care of you." The ghost said softly   
  
"Yea, sure. After you kill me right...there is always a catch." Driretlan scooted away from the ghost and she sprinted across the room. She wasn't paying attention to where she was running and she tripped over a rock and Spell Breaker slid across the floor from her hands. "Shit."   
  
She tried to get onto her feet but wasn't able to fast enough. The ghost was right in front of her again.   
  
"Don't worry all of your pain will be relieved soon." The ghost disappeared then Driretlan felt a sharp pain in her stomach and she yelped as the ghost tried to integrate into her body and take control.   
  
"You call that relieving pain?" She yelled as she curled up into a ball grabbing her stomach.   
  
From the darkest parts of the cave the low moans started once more and a mass of ghosts swarmed to Driretlan. They forced their way into her body, each one bringing more pain with it. Driretlan crawled to a wall and climbed to her feet. She shakily started to walk toward Spell Breaker still holding her stomach. "You...think...that...you..can...take...me...down? Not...likely." she stammered. She walked forward a few more steps before she fell to the ground coughing. "Damned...dead..things....they always screw...me...over." She clenched her eyes closed as the pain tore through her entire body. Like someone had taken a knife and slowly dug it into her flesh turning it slowly every second. She heaved up and rolled over letting out a piercing scream as her soul started to be eaten away. She fought off every ghost with every once of energy that she could find. She rolled over to a wall and pulled out the Terrifen stabbing it deep into the rock and using it to stand back up. She then started to throw punches into the rock wall cracking it a little bit more each time. "DAMNIT!!!" She yelled   
  
Why do you get yourself into these things again? And how will you get out of this one? She thought. There is no way out of this one...face it, you fucked up big time on this one.... And you are going to let every one down because you aren't strong enough. Because you can't fight off a few lousy ghosts. I thought that ghosts were supposed to be harmless anyway.... I am going to kill who ever started that.   
  
Driretlan had another wave of tearing pain shoot through her body and she fell to her knees and started to punch the wall again. Then she pulled out the Terrifen and stabbed it into the ground. She stood up once more then took a step, then she lifted the Terrifen stabbed it into the ground a little further away and started the process over again. She walked across the room this way fighting off the urge to cut her own head off just to stop the pain, which took a while. She spotted Spell Breaker on the ground and slowly bent over to pick it up but she fell to the ground. "Great..." She sheathed spell breaker and used the Terrifen to stand once more.   
  
"Give up!" A haunting voice echoed   
  
"That is.. Wonderful...now...even...the...voices are...against me." She stammered in a daze.   
  
Outside the cave Jin sat impatiently watching the mouth.   
  
[You need to go in now.] Shuvanis said   
  
[No, this is her test she can do it on her own.] Jin argued   
  
[Not this time...Go inside Jin before it is too late.] Shuvanis urged.   
  
[No. She can do it. I have faith.] Jin smiled   
  
A scream echoed from the mouth of the cave and reached Jin's ears. He recognized the scream and he snapped to his feet.   
  
[Faith does little if there isn't anything to back it up.] Shuvanis said [Go, now and hurry.]   
  
Jin nodded and ran into the cave using the wind to speed him up. Once he was to a certain point in the cave his wind wouldn't work anymore and he just had to run hoping that he was fast enough. He followed the screams and finally came to the cavern where Driretlan lay. Her body glowed with an eerie light.   
  
[You must do exactly as I say. The process has already began and we must stop it now.] Shuvanis instructed.   
  
[What do I do?] Jin asked as he ran over to Driretlan   
  
[Allow my spirit to control your body for a moment. I posses the power to reverse it.] Shuvanis commanded   
  
[How do I do that?] Jin asked   
  
[Just let go of everything. All though, all actions, all control. Quickly.]   
  
Jin shut his eyes and did as he was instructed letting go of everything. He felt his control slip away from him and suddenly he was a by stander in a show that decided the fate of another.  
  
Shuvanis took control of Jin's body and his hands started to glow with a light like the one that was around Driretlan's body.   
  
The ghosts that were in Driretlan were dispelled and she was sent into a sudden seizure as the spirits left her body. Once Shuvanis was done with his procedure Driretlan's head fell to the side. She had passed out. Shuvanis gave Jin control of his body once more and Jin felt a drain of energy when he regained control. He leaned back onto his elbows and took a deep breath.   
  
[Those spirits will not return I sent them on. You can rest easily now.]   
  
[What about Driretlan? Is she okay?] He asked   
  
[She will be fine with time.... but she is very low on energy.]   
  
[She'll get it back I guarantee you. She won't give up that easily.] Jin smiled picking up Driretlan's head and laying it on his leg so it wouldn't be on the cave floor. Jin then laid down himself and drifted off into a deep sleep.   
  
During the night Jin awoke suddenly, he looked around the room. He felt an immense amount of energy nearby and it didn't seem too friendly. He left out a long sigh and looked at Driretlan who laid half couscous.   
  
"You saved me didn't you?" She asked   
  
Jin smiled and nodded   
  
"Well...thanks...I guess that I will have to repay you someday...for caring." She sighed sitting up.   
  
"No, that isn't necessary." Jin said  
  
"Sure it is.. You have saved my ass once again." Driretlan smirked   
  
"That is because I don't' want to see you killed.... I.. I.." Jin stammered   
  
Driretlan leaned in and softly kissed Jin on the lips cutting him off. "I hate it when people stammer.... Especially when the other person knows what they are wanting to say." Driretlan chuckled leaning her head on his shoulder. "I hope you don't mind....I am still really tired." She started to fall asleep again.   
  
"Dri?" Jin muttered   
  
"What?" She asked   
  
"I am glad that you are here to save...otherwise I would still be some wandering wind warrior with out a care in the world." Jin explained   
  
"Well.. I am glad that you are here to save me...." She mumbled falling asleep.   
  
Kaneda, Kixston and the others who insisted on coming along came to the main gate of the Monastery.   
  
So this is where I will meet my little sister, and where all will be explained eh? Kaneda thought. Looks a little bit plain to me.   
  
You had better of kept her safe kid. Or I will rip you a new one when I see you. Kixston thought. I put my trust in you Jin, you had better not have broken it. 


	8. Given Destiny Chapter 8

Chapter Eight  
  
The sound of dripping water was getting on Driretlan's nerves as she traveled through the cave. It was her second day in there and there was no sign of an end, in addition she was injured, there had been a cave in earlier that blocked their way out and Jin was there, which wasn't so bad. Driretlan stepped off a rock and slipped on the slick ground she fell hard and Jin snapped his attention to her.   
"You okay?" he asked   
  
She nodded and heaved herself off of the ground. "I am fine." she smirked "Just a small spill on this damned cave floor." She stomped her foot on the hard rock. "I can't wait until I get the hell out of here."   
  
Jin chuckled "Well, i feel the same way that you do. I don't like this place much."   
  
Driretlan smirked "I can't blame you. You can't even feel the wind in here, and i know how much of a wind freak you are."   
  
Jin crossed his arms. "What is wrong with liking the wind? I am a wind warrior after all." he said lowly.   
  
A sudden strong gust of wind blew past them almost knocking them over.   
  
"Well there is no need to get touchy Jin."   
  
"That wasn't me." Jin said "That was definitely an unnatural wind."  
  
Driretlan shrugged. "Then what was it?"  
  
"Maybe we are close the exit." Jin smiled   
  
"Always the optimist." Driretlan chuckled.  
  
A loud banging sound echoed through the hallows of the cave. Jin looked around them seeing nothing. "Where could that be coming from?"  
  
"I don't know, but where ever it is, it might be near the exit. Let's go." Driretlan said running ahead.   
  
Always the hasty one. Jin thought smiling a bit. Hopefully this time it doesn't get us into trouble.   
  
He followed her through a set of connecting narrow caverns, sliding to a stop behind her. She was stopped in front of a wall. "Dead end?" He muttered  
  
"What the hell?" Driretlan snapped "I thought that there would be some sort of exit here."   
  
"Maybe you are supposed to find an alternate exit." Jin smiled.   
  
Driretlan spun around and glared at him. "What alternate exit? There is nothing here but a solid wall."   
  
Jin smirked "This is a test after all Dri. You didn't think that they were going to hand it to you that easily. Try using your other senses."   
  
Driretlan took a deep breath, "Right other senses." she closed her eyes and concentrated but nothing was coming to her.   
  
"Well?" Jin asked   
  
"Nothing." she sighed opening her eyes. "What other senses am I supposed to use?"   
  
The loud banging noise rang out once more echoing more hauntingly than it did before.   
  
"Maybe you should try your sense of hearing. Follow the noise more closely." Jin suggested.   
  
"Great your an optimist and a genius." She smirked. Driretlan closed her eyes and listened as hard as she could, but the noise seemed to be coming from the other side of the wall, but with all the echo in the cave there was no way for her to be able to tell for sure where it was resonating from. "Damn...screw it. I am going through that wall." She growled.  
  
Jin looked at her puzzled. "What do you mean go through...are you planning on blasting your way through that wall?" He asked   
  
"Yep." Driretlan said "Unless you have a better idea." she said taking a fighting stance.   
  
"Well i don't but...." he started   
  
This is her test Jin let her do as she pleases. Jin thought. Besides she is right most of the time.  
  
"But what?" she asked   
  
"Never mind." Jin smiled "Do as you please."   
  
Driretlan smirked, "okay, you asked for it."   
  
She took a back stance and pulled out her sword. The tip ignited in flames and she closed her eyes muttering a chant. a fiery symbol appeared at her feet and then the entire sword became engulfed in flames that licked up Driretlan's arms. She took another step back before launching herself at the wall with her sword in a thrusting position. She slammed the Terrifen into the wall, causing a crater as the hot flames ate away at the rock. The heat around her grew to an almost unbearable temperature, and she hadn't even broken through to the other side yet. Driretlan gave it another boost of energy and she tore through the wall in an explosion of flames. She landed out of breath. "Damn, it took long enough." she cursed.   
  
Jin jogged over to her. "Are you all right?" he asked   
  
"Yea fine." she smirked looking at the huge whole in the wall. On the other side was another long stretch of caverns. "Great looks like we have more walking to do."   
  
Jin nodded. "It does look that way." He smirked.   
  
Driretlan dropped her head, "Why must it be this way...why can't the cave be smaller, that way i could kill who ever is making that annoying noise and get the hell out of here."   
  
Jin smirked "Always wanting the easy way out."  
  
"Damn right." She smirked walking through the hole. "Now lets get moving i want to get this over with."   
  
Jin nodded and followed her.  
  
Meanwhile  
  
Kixston sat glaring at a priest, deep anger burned in his eyes. "Now for the fifth time tell me why in the hell did you send her in there?!" he growled   
  
"He did say that it was for some sort of test." Kaneda pointed out.   
  
"I know that!" Kixston yelled standing up from the large oak table. "I want to know why the hell he thought she could handle something like that! She is far to weak for something of such magnitude, you do realize if she is killed in there that you are totally screwed! It will be easy for someone to swipe a wandering soul!"   
  
The priest sighed "I do realize this, but the lady will be fine. She is plenty strong for this."   
  
Kixston let out a frustrated sigh, "And if she isn't?"   
  
"Precautions have been taken." he said slowly.   
  
"What kind of precautions?" Ichigo asked   
  
"If she is killed in there her spirit will be trapped forever with in the walls of that cave." The priest muttered  
  
"Oh that is lovely." Kixston growled "Then what do you do about the problem with the weapons, there is no way that a few monks like you can possibly keep them safe."   
  
"Hmphf. It comes down to that i will take the weapons." Daruis said walking into the room.   
  
Kixston let out a low growl, "Like hell you will. I will."  
  
Kaneda sighed "Neither of you will take them, i will. They did belong to my brother before they did Driretlan, and if she is dead then i will take possession of them. That is final." he said in a serious tone.   
  
Daruis smirked "Then it is settled, he will take the weapons in the case of her death."   
  
So he is the final guardian, i guess that this could actually be it. I knew that there was something different about that girl. Daruis thought. Those old stories were right, the group has gathered. Whether or not that kid can handle the power that will be given to her is the question. If she loses it, it is all over. then again if she can control it destruction will be avoided. Then again she could decide to kill us all anyway.  
  
"Just a question, how come you weren't with the first group." Darius asked looking directly at Kaneda.   
  
"What do you mean?" Kaneda asked reading through his book again.   
  
"You are a guardian you are supposed to be with her." Daruis said coldly "Or do you just like to neglect your duties."   
  
"Hey. Watch what you say." Kixston growled   
  
"What duties?" Kaneda asked looking over the top of his book at Daruis.  
  
"Your duties as a guardian." Daruis said   
  
"There are certain things that you are supposed to do, things that are you supposed to fulfill." a monk explained   
  
"Like?" Kixston growled   
  
"There will be a time and place for explanation." The priest said. "Darius, think before you start to ask your questions."   
  
Daruis smirked and walked off into the shadows of the halls.   
  
I will just have to get a clear answer later as to why he is so late.... Darius thought.  
  
Kixston started to walk off too.   
  
"Where are you going?" Sharon asked   
  
"To get some air, and check out that cave that this idiot has been blabbing on and one about." Kixston muttered.   
  
"You can't go into the cave." The monk snapped   
  
"And why the hell not!" Kixston growled.   
  
"It is a sacred place that few can enter. Even if you wanted to go in you can't. The cave won't allow it, so you will just have to stay put until she returns." The preist explained   
  
"How are we to get the weapons out if we can't enter the cave?!" Kixston snapped   
  
"You can't, but your friend can." the priest muttered   
  
"Which friend?" Sharon asked   
  
Kaneda flipped the page on his book. "He means me." He sighed. "The same blood runs through our veins, Dri and I that is." He explained "If that cave will let her in it will let me in also."   
  
The priest nodded.   
  
"Great so i have to rely on you." Kixston groaned.   
  
Kaneda smirked "Call it a partnership if you like. but you are stuck working with me for a while Kixston. Might as well get used to it, and lose the attitude."   
  
Kixston sneered and walked out of the room.   
  
Great i have to deal with him....plus i have to find a way to persuade them to help with Cronic's little competition. Hopefully Dri will have it together for once and be out of there alive. Kixston thought as he walked into the deep of the halls.   
  
Lunus walked slowly through the seemingly endless plains that fell before him. His patience started to run low, he had been traveling for a while now not knowing where in the hell he was going. He had just picked a direction and hoped that it was the right way. He fiddled with the sword on his side. He pulled it out of the sheath the blade was a dull red color. "This isn't the Terrifen...but just a normal sword." he muttered "Which means Dri has it." Lunus let out a long sigh. "Time truly has gone on normally, which means that every thing will be different. Hopefully that monastery will be in the same place. Otherwise i am screwed." he re-sheathed the sword and walked on down the field. There was a dull roaring noise behind him and he spun around to see a motorcycle in the distant horizon. He stopped and watched it approach as it grew closer the figure of Cronic Hazel could be made out. "What the..." Lunus muttered  
  
Cronic Hazel sped by Lunus then made a quick u turn and drove back sliding to a stop in front of him. He looked him over quickly. "You eyes are oddly familiar." He muttered  
  
"May I ask why you are paying attention to my eyes?" Lunus asked   
  
Cronic snorted "Don't get any ideas about it. I just thought that i had seen them before." He growled   
  
Lunus rolled his eyes then it hit him, "Have you seen a girl named Driretlan?" He asked quickly  
  
Cronic thought for a second, "Can't say that I have...then again i rarely take names." He smirked   
  
Lunus glared at him.   
  
"Unless she is that girl who travels with that fool Kixston." Cronic said.   
  
Lunus smirked "That would probably be her, thank you for all of your help." He said jogging off.   
  
"What help is he talking about?" Cronic sneered   
  
If he is looking for Kixston maybe i could find where he ran off to by following this blue haired idiot. Cronic thought.   
  
Cronic then turned and sped off. "It is amazing to me how many fools there are in this world, so all easily manipulated."  
  
Lunus was walking up the field the in same direction that Cronic sped off in. "I wonder if she went to the monastery with Kixston. hmf. Maybe he even found Kaneda and convinced him to go....but if he did that he must of relayed the message of my death...and not even Kaneda would believe that i am alive after that, but maybe he will. Hopefully he will." Lunus muttered "Other wise i am so screwed."   
  
Johnny had gotten past his fuming stage to his deep thinking stage. He was sitting on his throne thinking of a way to enact his latest plan. A demon came up behind his throne.   
  
"Sir, I have what you requested." It said bowing slightly.   
  
"Thank you Azrath." Johnny sighed "Well where is the soul of Mitara?"   
  
"It is located on earth, it is sealed into the stone of Angushtri Mountain." Azrath explained.   
  
Johnny smirked "I thought that it would be." He stood up "Come with me Azrath, we shall retrieve it and revive the body as well."   
  
Azrath nodded "But sir, what are you planning on doing with the soul and body?"   
  
"I will use it to my benefit. There can only be one benefactor to Luludi's soul, and if I have Mitara in my possession, the power of Driretlan's soul will be rendered useless. Then i can kill her and use Mitara to gain the power of the Shuvanis Panch." Johnny explained "It is quite simple."  
  
Azrath nodded once more "I see sir. What a brilliant plan."   
  
"Of course it is." Johnny said disappearing.   
  
He reappeared in a cavern inside of Angushtri mountain. Azrath soon joined him.   
  
"This is the place master." Azrath said  
  
"Where would they seal a soul in this place? It has to be beyond capacity." Johnny wondered aloud.   
  
"Maybe there is a special area." Azrath suggested   
  
"Maybe so." Johnny muttered walking deeper into the cavern. Skulls and bones lay strewn about inside the cave. There were odd designs on the wall drawn in blood, some of which were still relatively fresh. The deeper into the cave Johnny went the thicker the air became, it was thick with energy.   
  
"Master there is a lot of energy coming from this place." Azrath pointed out  
  
"It is because this is the burial ground for evil souls. Shamans seal the souls into this stone thinking that they will never escape to cause havoc once again." Johnny explained. "It is truly foolish of them to do such a thing." Johnny waved his hand and the designs on the wall glowed and the air grew even thicker. There was a great wind that picked up suddenly and thousands of souls poured out from the walls rushing out of the cave.   
  
Azrath smirked while watching the work of his master. "Where would this area be master?"   
  
"Ahead most likely." Johnny sighed as a few spirits swirled around him. He grabbed one and twisted it around his finger. "Simple creatures souls are. They have no goal no nothing, they just wander aimlessly."   
  
Azrath chuckled looking ahead. There was a room with a mummified body and bloody inscriptions ever where.   
  
"That looks as though it is the room." Johnny muttered walking ahead. He entered the room and a small field of energy tried to stop him but he easily pushed through it. He walked over to the body and waved his hand over it. "hmmm who ever did this didn't do a very good job. Azrath take this back to hell and fix it. We need the perfect vessel, not a rotting one. And i will start on reviving the spirit."   
  
Azrath took the body and disappeared.  
  
Johnny turned to the inscription covered petastool that the body was on. "now for the hard part." He muttered   
  
Later on  
  
Hotaru slinked out from the shadows of a cave and slung some of her weapons over her shoulder. "I can't exactly go back to hell. I doubt that Johnny is happy with me, and I really don't want to die." She muttered.   
  
outside the cave there was a large waterfall and stream leading off from it. Hotaru started to jump rock to rock over the stream.   
  
Darkwolf appeared in front of Hotaru. "I was wondering where you went off to." She smirked "I see that you have your things does that mean that you won't be returning?"   
  
Hotaru nodded "Johnny won't exactly welcome my warmly."   
  
"Well you did betray him after all."   
  
"I wasn't about to let him kill an innocent person." Hotaru growled   
  
"You know that you can't run forever, he will find you." Darkwolf said  
  
"And i care why?"  
  
"I want to help you though. I have done some things like the ones that you did. But i pulled them off better." Darkwolf smirked "I know some good places that you can lye low."   
  
"I don't want to lye low. I want to get away and live my life the way i was ment to." Hotaru said. "It wasn't my choice to work under Johnny, not that i am complaining he isn't half bad. But i haven't gotten a chance to live my life like you did. So that is what i am off to do."   
  
Darkwolf nodded "I won't tell him that I found you...just watch yourself while you are out there. I can't always look out for you."   
  
Hotaru nodded and Darkwolf disappeared. "You watch yourself too...there is more going on than even Johnny knows. And it may come to a head soon."   
  
A figure appeared behind Hotaru, "Sooner than you think." It sneered   
  
Hotaru spun around to see Gothic. "Who the hell are you?" she demanded.   
  
"I am your worst nightmare kid." Gothic chuckled "I am here to end your misery on the orders of my master."   
  
"Johnny?" Hotaru asked   
  
"No, someone with more power than him." Gothic cackled   
  
"More power than Johnny? You are delusional. There is no one with more power than him, he is the devil. There is none with more power....unless you work for the one upstairs.."   
  
"him, pch. never." Gothic sneered "You don't need to know who my master is now. All you need to know for now is that he has sent me to kill you for helping that pathetic Lunus."   
  
Hotaru pulled out her swords "Bring it. I will kill you." She growled   
  
Gothic chuckled "Whatever helps you sleep at night kid."   
  
Dark storm clouds started to roll in and thunder clashed in the distance. Gothic smirked evilly while staring down Hotaru. "You have no chance kid."   
  
Hotaru let out a low growl. "That is what you think, get ready to die." Hotaru jumped off her rock and launched herself at Gothic.   
  
Gothic dodged and landed skillfully on another stepping stone. "Come, come. Charging me like that will get you no where. You must have more skill than that." Gothic laughed.   
  
Hotaru snarled "I'll show you skill." Hotaru closed her eyes and concentrated, the water level in the stream rose and swashed around her feet. "This is skill."   
  
"Hmf. You can make a little bit of water flow...I am not impressed." Gothic snapped.   
  
"Well you had better be." Hotaru snapped as the water level rose more. cyclones of water circled around her hand and she blasted them at Gothic who dodged them by back flipping out of the way.   
  
Gothic landed gracefully on a stepping stone. "That was pathetic." She laughed "can't you do better?"  
  
Hotaru let out a low growl. "I'll show you better." more water swirled around her and it tidal waved over gothic. "how is that for better?"  
  
Gothic stood strong through the cascade of water. "Was that all you had? That was pathetic. I will show you real power." energy swirled around Gothic.   
  
Oh shit. Hotaru thought. I am going to have to do a lot better than i have been to beat her.   
  
Gothic smiled sadistically. "Are you ready to take me on little girl, you don't have a chance in the world against me." she formed a huge fireball and tossed it at Hotaru who shot a blast of water at it putting it out.   
  
"Fire won't work against me, i think that it is you who doesn't have the chance." Hotaru smirked  
  
Gothic let out a low growl.   
  
Master was right i will have to use the special flame against this pathetic girl. I was hoping to use this to kill that girl Driretlan but this one will make a good test subject. Gothic thought.   
  
I have the upper hand in this one, she is a fire and i am a water element. I can beat her easily. Hotaru thought.  
  
Hotaru jumped forward and a burst of water propelled her even faster and farther, she slammed into Gothic with a bone crunching punch to the stomach. She then hit her with a hook kick, an uppercut and a combo of rounds and spinning side kicks. Hotaru jumped to the shore to catch her breath and unleashed a powerful water attack on Gothic. "That should take care of it." She muttered  
  
Gothic stood on the rock un-phased. "was that all you had kid, this will be easier than i thought." Gothic gathered her energy and then pulled it to the palm of her hand where it formed into a flame that flickered a deep black color. "Immortal flame." She muttered. Gothic charged toward Hotaru who formed a sheild of water around herself.   
  
"Seriously, you can't beat me." Hotaru said.   
  
Gothic punched the shield and the water evaporated. The punch landed square in her chest and Hotaru was thrown back. "Now for the finisher!" Gothic yelled running for the down Hotaru. Just as she was about to land another punch Johnny appeared and blocked it.   
  
"I hate to do this to a lady but." He said forming a flame around his fist and punching Gothic.   
  
Gothic was thrown back into the river, Hotaru took the opportunity to have the river swallow Gothic.   
  
Johnny looked down at Hotaru, "You are going to come with me." He said picking her up and disappearing in a pillar of flame.   
  
Once the water receded Gothic climbed out and coughed a bit. "Damnit, that is twice that I have failed. I will not do it once more, I will destroy that girl."  
  
Driretlan entered a narrow cavern followed by Jin. "Well this place is cozy." she muttered  
  
Jin smiled "Well if that is what you think." he kicked a rock as he felt along the wall. He could see a light at the end of the cavern. "I think that may be our exit."  
  
Driretlan nodded "I agree, lets get a move on." She said impatiently. She hurried out of the cavern to see a larger one that was lined with stalagmites that had burning candles on the top of them. In the corner of the room a large man was working on a makeshift anvil pounding on something with a huge hammer. "Well this is great."   
  
"He might just know the way out Dri, after all he is the only living in here." Jin said.   
  
"Either that or he is the last part of the test." She muttered.   
  
"Only one way to find out." Jin smirked   
  
"I am on it." Driretlan said walking toward the guy. "Hey you, do you have any clue how to get out of this cave other than going back the way I came. It is kind of caved in."   
  
The guy just stood there pounding on the anvil, ignoring her.  
  
"Hey I was talking to you!" she snapped.   
  
The guy just kept pounding and the loud banging echoed through the cave. He didn't turn around no matter how loud Driretlan yelled.   
  
She walked up behind him and tapped him on the shoulder "Hey!" she yelled   
  
The guy turned around and glared at her. He had deep red eyes and scars that covered his rough face and bald head. "What." he growled, his deep booming voice echoed through the caverns almost as loud as the hammer banging did.   
  
"I want to know the way out." Driretlan said  
  
"There is no way out.." he said dryly   
  
"There has to be!" Driretlan protested.   
  
"Only if you finish the test may you leave, you haven't done that, and you won't."   
  
"What do you mean won't!" Driretlan snapped. "Have i done all this shit for nothing!"   
  
The man shook his head and laughed "You stupid girl. You broke the rules you had assistance and that is forbidden." He growled "You have angered the spirits locked away in this cave by bringing him! Now you must die!" He picked up his large hammer and swung it at Driretlan. She swiftly dodged and it smashed into the ground making a small crater.   
  
"Jin, stay back. I got this guy." she said as she saw Jin move out of the corner of her eye. "he can't be that tough."   
  
Jin smiled and shook his head backing up some. "Just be careful, don't under estimate your enemy."  
  
Driretlan pulled out her sword and took a defensive stance. "Bring it big guy." She smirked.  
  
The guy stood frozen looking at the sword for a minuet then he smirked "You can't beat me with that." He said coldly.  
  
"Wanna bet?" She said lunging forward out of her defensive stance. She pulled her sword into a slashing position then pulled it into a stabbing one. The man used his hammer to block and a blue aura appeared between the weapons. It expanded and Driretlan flew back slamming into a wall.   
  
The man charged towards her pulling his hammer back into a slamming position. Driretlan rolled out of the way again before he could strike. The wall collapsed when the hammer hit it with great force.   
  
"Shit." Driretlan muttered, she got up and charged for the man's back.   
  
This bastard's weapon has some weird effect on mine. so I'll injure him from behind, maybe then he will talk. She thought.   
  
She plunged the Terrifen into his shoulder and he swung his body around quickly and smacked her with the hammer sending her flying across the cavern through stalactites and stalagmites. A bone crunching noise echoed through the cavern when she hit the wall.   
  
The man smiled a bit. "One like you should not have these esteemed weapons." He said coldly "And the penalty for holding one is death."   
  
"Why am I not shocked to hear that? What is with you people and killing me?" she muttered pulling herself to her feet.   
  
"Dri, watch yourself." Jin cautioned.   
  
"I will." she smirked  
  
The man stepped away from the wall with the Terrifen still dug into his shoulder, he held his hammer in his hand ready to use it again. "This time i will kill you." he took heavy steps toward her.   
  
Driretlan glared at him, "Give my sword back you bastard, and i will prove you wrong." she growled  
  
The man stopped and pulled the sword out of his shoulder like it caused him no pain to do so, then he threw it at Driretlan. She caught it in between her hands and threw it up into the air catching it again, she swung it around a few times.   
  
"That is better. So ready to meet your doom big man?" She teased.   
  
The man just charged forward, with his hammer high.   
  
"Predicable." She muttered striding to the side. She swung her sword wide and sliced open his side.   
  
He swung his hammer her direction and she ducked then jumped back. He looked at the wound on his side, then it healed shut.   
  
"What the hell!" Driretlan yelled   
  
He just smirked and charged at her again, she clashed her sword with his hammer.   
  
"Who the hell are you?!" she demanded through gritted teeth.   
  
"Saster, the blacksmith. Not that it is your business." He growled back as the blue aura rose again. This time before it could explode on Driretlan she jumped back and rose a fire shield just as it blew up sending the blast back at Saster. He reflected it sending it barreling into the wall.   
  
"Damn.." She muttered letting her shield down.  
  
I have to figure out a way to kill him other than using the Terrifen. Call it a hunch but i think that it won't have an effect on him. She thought. There has to be a way that i can kill him.  
  
Driretlan dodged several of Saster's attacks while still in deep thought. Out of frustration she pulled out spell breaker and sliced open his stomach. "Do you mind!" she yelled "sheesh I am trying to think here, and if you want to kill me try not leaving yourself open that is annoying the hell out of me."   
  
Jin chuckled "She always has time for that."   
  
Saster let out a low growl. He took a deep breath and shot fire out of his mouth at Driretlan. She blocked her face but the rest of her was burned.   
  
"Do you know how disgusting that is." She growled kicking him in the face. "Now i have your spit all over me."   
  
Saster swung his hammer and hit Driretlan in the side when she was off guard sending her flying into the wall again. It crumbled around her and he charged again preparing to crush her beneath the debris.   
  
Jin jumped between the two putting his arms out. "You aren't doing that on my watch."   
  
Saster brought his hammer up to strike Jin over the head when he hit a force field a white light flooded the cave for a second and Saster was thrown back. He picked himself back up. "how." he muttered coldly.   
  
Jin looked puzzled and smiled "I haven't done that one before."  
  
Driretlan pulled herself out of the fallen rock. "well it was a great help Jin. Thanks." she muttered. she stood up shakily, her whole left side ached where she was struck she started to collapse but used her sword to balance.   
  
My hip has to be crushed, with all the blood coming I am guessing that is what he did. Shit! She thought. I can't move around like this, and that guy is still kicking. If the pain were the only issue i would have no problem but my muscles won't let me move.  
  
She started to walk forward using her sword as a crutch. "I'll just have to fry his ass." she muttered.   
  
"What are you doing! You can't fight him like this. let me." Jin offered.   
  
"That is nice of you Jin, but this is my fight." Driretlan said.   
  
Jin nodded.   
  
Driretlan hobbled forward and stopped when she was a safe distance away from Jin. "I'm going to let you test out something for me. Feel privileged you will be the first person that I have ever tried this on." She smirked  
  
Saster just stared her down and tapped his hammer against his hand.   
  
Driretlan concentrated her energy and a large aura surrounded her body. "I can't win with my sword so i will win with this!" she yelled conjuring a fireball into her hands, she launched it at Saster and he tried to block it with his hammer but it over power it engulfing him. Driretlan took a deep breath getting ready for another attack, she had figured out by now that these guys weren't that easy to beat. Soon enough Saster stepped out of the flames and glared at her, his clothed were charred and blisters had formed on his skin. "Figures." she muttered  
  
Saster just smiled evilly and charged towards her, she conjured a flame wall that blocked his hammer from smashing her, but then he used the spike on the end of his hammer to stab her.  
  
Driretlan shrieked and felt her energy drain from her body. Her aura dissipated along with her flames. She fell back and when Saster was about to bring his hammer down on her a large gust of wind blew him back.   
  
Jin ran over to her. "Come on Dri. You can't take him your hurt too bad." he said  
  
Driretlan shook her head, "I have to kill him, it is my only way out I know it." She mumbled   
  
"can you stand?" Jin asked   
  
Driretlan shook her head, "You have to help me kill him Jin." she muttered   
  
"You saw how his wounds healed, he is like an immortal." jin said.   
  
Then it hit Driretlan, "Even immortals can die...Jin! I have to stab him through the heart with my sword." she explained. "That is how you kill a vampire...I can kill him this way too."   
  
"He isn't a vampire Dri." Jin pointed out.   
  
"I know that.. just trust me. Help me stand up." She said  
  
Jin lifted her and she pulled her sword up, and she started to fall again but Jin caught her. "Be more careful." he said   
  
"I am..." she growled   
  
Saster had recuperated himself and was coming their way. Jin tried to knock him back with another gust of wind but Saster stood strong. "Dri, can you think fast?"   
  
Driretlan nodded she was already thinking. As Saster got closer Jin picked up Driretlan and backed up until he was against a wall.   
  
"Not good." he muttered.   
  
Driretlan slid out of his arms and stared down Saster thinking. "I could.. shit.. I can't walk...." she muttered  
  
"I could launch you with my wind.. you would just have to have good aim and be careful on the landing." He said  
  
She nodded "Sounds good to me." she stood shakily with her sword in position. "I am ready when you are."   
  
Jin nodded and focused his wind power shooting her forward towards Saster, she had enough speed that Saster had no time to react and she pierced his heart. But as sort of a delayed reaction he hit her with his hammer again, this time it was weaker. Even so the attack was strong and she was thrown into the wall.   
  
Saster fell to his knees and his eyes and mouth glowed with a bright blue light that seemed to be bursting from with in. He let out a deep yell and grabbed his face. A light engulfed the room and Jin shielded his eyes. When the light cleared there was only a pile of bones and a rust hammer where Saster once was.   
  
Jin walked over to it curiously, in the pile of bones there was a bright green gem, he picked it up. There was a spot that looked like a sword had gone through, then the spot seemed to recover it self leaving a flawless gem. Jin picked up the stone then jogged over to Driretlan who lay half buried in a pile of rubble. "You still alive Dri?" he asked pulling the rocks off of her.   
  
Driretlan moved and tried to sit up, "Yea i think so..." She muttered "I killed him right?"   
  
Jin smiled and nodded "You killed him all right. He is just a pile of bones." He brushed the rest of the rubble off of her and pulled her to a sitting position. "But it looks as though you were wrong about killing him and finding an exit."  
  
Driretlan sighed "There has to be a way out of here." she muttered "Did you find anything that might help us?"  
  
Jin nodded slowly and pulled the gem out of his pocket. "Does this count?" he smirked   
  
Driretlan nodded "Yea it does, maybe there is a place to put it that reveals a door or something." She chuckled "Either that or it is here to look pretty."   
  
Jin sighed "Well we can look for that after we wrap those wounds on your sides." He untied the bandages on his arms. "You will have to sit up a bit further Dri."   
  
She nodded and sat on her knees. "Just don't cut off the circulation." she chuckled  
  
Jin smirked and tied the bandages around her waist closing the wounds. "I knew that those may come in handy someday."  
She shook her head as he tied them off. "I am guessing after we get out of this hell hole you are going to have someone do that right."  
  
Jin nodded "You wouldn't want to die from an infection." he said. "Shall we look for where this belongs now?"  
  
Driretlan started to nod when she saw a bright white ball floating in the air in front of her. "What in the hell is that?" she asked pointing at it.  
  
Jin looked to where she was pointing and saw nothing. "What are you talking about Dri? I don't see anything."  
  
"Bull, there is a floating white ball thingy beside your head." she argued.   
  
"I think that the blood loss is effecting you." he said "I will look for it you stay here and rest."   
  
Driretlan had her eyes locked on the floating ball, it suddenly moved to a nearby wall. "No, it isn't. Jin pull me up, i have to follow that ball of light. I think that it is telling me something."   
  
Jin sighed and helped her up. "Where is it?"   
  
She pointed to the wall. "there." she said.   
  
Jin walked her over to the wall and then stopped. The ball of light sunk into the wall and Driretlan touched the spot where it had been. Suddenly a red symbol appeared on the wall it was glowing and flickering brightly. "I guess that you weren't wrong Dri."   
  
Driretlan smirked "when am I wrong?" she chuckled "wait.. don't answer that."  
  
Jin smiled, "So what now?"   
  
She took out the gem and handed it to Jin. "I would guess that you put it into the center of the symbol." she said.   
  
Jin nodded and placed the gem in the center of the symbol. It glowed brightly for a second then the light faded. "Hmm."  
  
Then out of the wall stepped a woman dressed in battle armor, she was glowing an eerie color but she had a sincere smile on her face. "So, you succeeded." she walked over to Driretlan "I am very proud."   
  
Driretlan looked at her confused. "What do you mean? Who are you?" she asked backing away a bit.  
  
The woman smiled "I am your blood your ancestor." she explained   
  
"You would be Lady Luludi." Jin said.   
  
The woman nodded. "that i am." she looked over Driretlan, "You look battered, it seems as though my father is tougher than he let on." she said with a slight laugh  
  
"That was your dad?!" Driretlan gasped, "Shit that makes him old, an old man had me on the run...damn i am losing it."   
  
"I thought that he was killed." Jin pointed out.   
  
Luludi nodded. "That he was, He was kept alive by the spell that Jevlin put on him. He was put here to kill all who get this far and stop them from obtaining what this cave holds."   
  
Jin nodded, "Makes sense. Jevlin wanted a failsafe just incase he did die."   
  
"Sounds like an asshole to me." Driretlan coughed "So where is this damned thing that i am supposed to obtain? and which way is out?"   
  
Luludi chuckled "You are ambitious i will give you that. Follow me."  
  
"Hold on a sec, how do i know that you won't try to kill me?" Driretlan asked   
  
"By trusting your heart instead of your instincts." She explained "Something that will become imperative to know."   
  
Driretlan sighed "Great....just lead the way miss follow your heart."   
  
Luludi laughed and walked off and Jin followed with Driretlan.  
  
"I think that she has lost it." Driretlan muttered yawning.   
  
Jin smirked "that may be so." he pulled Driretlan's arm up over his shoulder further. "Some people may have thought that you have lost it as well."  
  
Driretlan shot him a sideways glare. "Let them. Just because they think so doesn't make it so."   
  
Luludi lead them to a dead end, she simply touched the wall and it dissolved to reveal a room filled with shimmering white crystals and a bright pool of water.   
  
"Wow, this is pretty." Driretlan said.   
  
Luludi nodded. "I used to come here all the time as a child and play. But that was before the curse was put on the cave and the souls were trapped within these walls."   
  
Driretlan nodded "I figured as much, souls aren't trapped in this large of quantity with out a curse involved. Especially the souls of demons." she growled   
  
"Dri." Jin started   
  
"My parents souls are damned here for eternity because of that guy... when i first agreed to this it was for the challenge of becoming stronger, now it is a personal vendetta. I want to take his soul and send it to the depths of hell." she snapped   
  
Luludi nodded "as did the others, but they never made it passed my father. You are the first person ever to do that. I applaud you." Luludi said, "But don't think that because you beat him you are hot stuff. Let me tell you something, there are people after these weapons that are stronger than you could ever imagine, even higher powers maybe. So you need to watch yourself otherwise you will be killed and your soul, once it leaves this cave is fair game. and that is all they need to unlock full power. it will take years of training for you to be able to reach a level where you can take care of these opponents. So you must always be on your toes ready for a new opponent to appear."   
  
"Then what the hell do you expect me to do until then?" Driretlan snapped   
  
"You have guardians for that reason, and the help of..." she started but she caught the look in Jin's eyes.   
  
[Don't tell her whose soul i share my body with yet. I want to do that on my own, when the time is right.] Jin said telepathically.   
  
Luludi nodded "and the help of those around you." she added. "Take care of them and yourself." she walked over to the water. "Come drink this, it will heal your wounds and give your strength back."   
  
Driretlan nodded and Jin helped her over to the pool of water where she took a drink of the crystal water. Almost immediately after drinking the water she passed out and her body started to glow a light red color.   
  
Jin took a fighting stance. "What did you do to her!" he yelled  
  
"It is integrating into her system, that is what this cave holds this mystic water that was distilled by Shuvanis. If you don't trust me ask him." she smirked   
  
Jin nodded and relaxed sitting down, "How long will she be out?" he asked   
  
"Hard to tell, depends on how much power she has. But she will come out of it fine." Luludi said as she began to fade. "Please take care of her, she is the last of my daughters."  
  
Jin nodded "I will take care of her."   
  
Luludi nodded and disappeared.  
  
Jin let out a long sigh. "It seems as though i am in deep. Who knew that saving her would get me pulled into this."  
  
[Best not complain Jin. the worst is yet to come.] Shuvanis said  
  
[Why do you say that? Did you have another vision?] Jin asked worried. The last few visions that Shuvanis had weren't so pretty and Jin was afraid to see any of the newer ones.   
  
[I haven't yet, but combining my intuition and the last few premonitions. things don't look to good.] Shuvanis explained.   
  
[Any good news?] Jin asked hopefully   
  
[Yes, once Driretlan awakens you will be able to leave this cave.] he explained   
  
Jin let out a sigh of relief. "Well it is good that we won't be stuck in here forever." he slid down and leaned against the edge of the pool. "I am going to take a quick rest, hopefully Dri will be awake by then." he glanced over at her. she was scrunched up into a small ball and still was glowing.   
  
Kixston stood at the mouth of the cave looking in. It didn't seem so peculiar to him, it just looked like a normal cave. If it wasn't for the magical aura emitting from it he would have thought so.   
  
I can't believe that I have to rely on that Kaneda guy to get the weapons out of here when she dies. This is bull shit. Only if Lunus was still alive....but that guy who I fought did fight like Lunus and he sure as hell looked like him. Kixston thought. If it wasn't for that winged guy i might have found out if that was Lunus, then i could have put her worries to rest. Even after all these years she wants to believe so badly that he is alive. he is the last of her family, or so she thinks. and why the hell didn't she know that Kaneda was her brother, when she first met him she didn't know who the hell he was. What kind of family is that? With the way that she acts when someone talks about her family you would think that she would know who her own brother is.  
  
Kixston kicked a rock into the cave mouth and it bounced back at him. "Well that is dandy, that old man was right." he let out a long sigh. "So I will have to depend on that fool to get them out. Damn."   
  
"Be thankful for what you have Kixston. at least he can help you." Ichigo said hoping out of a tree. "After all with out Kaneda you would be totally screwed.... besides the weapons are going to Kaneda not you so why do you care so much?"  
  
"Because if they fall into the wrong hands, it will automatically involve me. I would have to go out there and kill them." He growled   
  
"So now you are becoming a vigilante. That is the last thing i thought you would become."   
  
"It isn't that way." he muttered "You wouldn't understand why i would do it anyway, you can't understand."   
  
"Try me." Ichigo said.   
  
"It is not your business to try!" He snapped "I have my reasons for doing things in life, and i have my reasons for doing things when it comes to her. All of which aren't concerns of a mere human such as yourself."   
  
Ichigo sighed "You know it isn't healthy to repress things."   
  
"Who said that i was repressing!" he yelled "I said that it was none of your business! That has nothing to do with repressing."  
  
Ichigo smirked "Sure it does, you won't tell anyone your problem that has to do with repressing. Listen if you dont' want to tell me that is okay. I thought it might be good for you to get it out you know." she watched him hoping that he would crack, ever since he met Driretlan and him she wondered what the nature of their relationship was. It was obvious that he cared for her and that he was trying to deny it.   
  
Kixston sighed "Well i am glad that is covered. I am not going to tell you, and i never will."   
  
Ichigo let out a low growl, "You are impossible!" she yelled   
  
He glared at her. "Why do you say that. Frustrated that i won't talk to you."   
  
She nodded "From the second that i met you and Dri i wondered what kind of relationship you guys had. I found out that you raised her, but i knew that there was something more there. I wasn't sure what and i am dying to find out."   
  
Kixston chuckled dryly. "There isn't anything there to wonder about. We just act how we act becuase she is used to me, our personalities clash...and.. that is it." he muttered looking at Ichigo.   
  
She could tell by his eyes that he was sad about something, but she wasn't sure what it was or why. He seemed to complex yet so simple, but despite that she couldn't figure him out. "Oh, well if that is it then.. I guess that i thought wrong. Either that or you are in denial of it yourself, which ever way it is. I will find out the truth." she said before leaving.  
  
Kixston let out a long sigh, "In denial of what?" he muttered. He walked up to the mouth of the cave and touched the invisible barrier.   
  
I just hope that she comes out okay. he thought.   
  
He walked to the stone edge and sat down leaning his sword against his shoulder.   
  
Kaneda sat in a tree watching. "Looks like that priest was wrong, there isn't any one here that has shoulder length brown hair. Wonder where he wandered off to." he muttered. "Hope he didn't run into trouble of some sort."   
  
Kixston looked up at Kaneda "What are you talking about?" he asked   
  
"There is supposed to be a person here with shoulder length brown hair and he isn't here." Kaneda explained   
  
"you mean Jin?" Kixston said "He was supposed to be here? Then where is he?"   
  
"You tell me." Kaneda said jumping out of the tree.   
  
Kixston sighed "Well we know that he can't go into that cave, so i say that we look for the kid and give him a good long talk."   
  
"Sounds good to me. I need something to occupy me." Kaneda smirked   
  
"Why not read that book of yours." Kixston teased.   
  
"Because when i start to read it i start to think. And it is bothering me, so if i am occupied i won't think."   
  
"Yes, because we all know how dangerous you thinking is." Kixston chuckled   
  
Kaneda sighed "whatever. Are we going to go now?'   
  
Kixston nodded and got up, "Lets roll."   
  
As they were walking off they felt a power surge come from the cave. They both turned around and looked at the mouth of the cave.   
  
"What was that.?" Kaneda asked   
  
"A power surge, i think that Dri might be fighting or something." He sighed "Come on lets find the kid."   
  
Kaneda nodded and followed.   
  
Just be careful Driretlan, I told Lunus that i would take care of you. And i would hate to break a promise between brothers.  
  
A little later  
  
Driretlan slowly woke up and looked around. "What the hell happened?" she asked   
  
Jin smirked "You were knocked out, I guess that water had something to it."   
  
She sighed "Yea guess so." she muttered.   
  
"Well are you up to leaving?" he asked   
  
She nodded "Yea lets get out of this hell hole." she said   
  
Jin walked over to her and helped her to her feet. "Let's go then."   
  
She nodded walking a bit. Her hips still hurt but she still walked to the end of the cavern and stared at the wall that she was getting a weird vibe from. "I think that this is our exit. There is something really weird about this wall."   
  
Jin nodded "Yea i can feel it too."  
  
She walked up to the wall, it was cold solid stone. "Well i think that i will have to attack my way through again."   
  
Jin nodded "Well have at it. Don't injure yourself further though." he smirked   
  
"I won't." she pulled out her sword and concentrated some of her energy into a flame. Her sword burst into flame and she was caught off guard.   
  
Woah that hasn't happened before, that was supposed to be a small flame. Maybe that water threw my concentration off. She thought.   
  
She shrugged it off and charged the wall. When her sword hit the stone it became almost liquid like and her attack bounced back at her then she fell through the wall.   
  
"That is my cue." he muttered racing toward the wall and going through it as well. he tripped and landed on top of Driretlan on the other side.   
  
Kaneda came around the corner, "Hey your the kid." he said. "What are you doing on top of my sister?"  
  
Jin rolled off Driretlan blushing a bit. "I fell..." he muttered.   
  
Driretlan looked up at Kaneda. "Since when was i your sister?" she asked  
  
Kaneda smirked "Since you were born. I guess that Lunus neglected to mention me."  
  
She thought for a second about all the things that her brother had ever told her or talked about and she remembered something about finding the other if something were to happen to him. "I guess that he might have, but i was really little. And i can barely remember it."  
  
Kaneda smirked "Understandable."  
  
Jin got up and pulled Driretlan to her feet. Her attack had cut her up a bit but other than that all her visible injuries were gone. He smiled "Well looks like that water has got something to it."   
  
Kaneda cocked an eyebrow "Which water?"  
  
"The water that is in the cave." Driretlan explained "It was given to me by a ghost."  
  
"We'll explain later." Jin added quickly.   
  
"wait.. you were in there?" Kixston asked leaning against the tree. "The preist said that only blood of Luludi could enter."   
  
"I am not sure how i entered." Jin said "I just heard a scream and went in."  
  
"If we wouldn't have i would have died. Those spirits kept pressing their way into my body." she said.  
  
Kixston's eyes widened then he narrowed them. "Maybe if you didn't have such a big mouth that wouldn't be a problem." he chuckled  
  
"You know what! i don't' want to deal with your crap right now. I think that my hip is shattered because some ghoul with a big hammer smashed it in plus i am as tired as hell because i haven't gotten any real sleep." she snapped "So back off."   
  
Kixston smirked "You are always getting beat up Dri. That is almost five times since we started our trip." he said.   
  
"Well if some people would step up to fight." she said  
  
"I do step up to fight, but you always have to be little miss cocky and get your ass kicked. I would have taken Gothic for you or Asamee, but you wanted to take them both." Kixston growled "Besides i fought Lunus, and that was no walk in the park. I do fight."  
  
Driretlan sighed "Whatever, I am glad to see you too." she sneered walking off toward the monastery.   
  
"I thought that you were friends with her." Kaneda said  
  
Kixston sighed "i am, that is just how we show that we care. I give her shit she gives me shit. It has been like that since she was a kid."   
  
"She still is a kid." Kaneda added   
  
"True, we had better follow them and get the whole story. I want to know how that kid got in there." Kixston said.   
  
"That sounds good to me." Kaneda said "But you have to answer one thing for me first."   
  
"Shoot." kixston growled   
  
"When you said that you fought Lunus, did you really? Was that really my brother?" he asked   
  
Kixston nodded "That was your brother but there was something wrong with him. He wasn't himself it was like a different person with different memories. He called me something humans a long time ago called me. I don't think that it was your brother."   
  
"Where is he now? do you know?"   
  
"Some winged guy stopped our fight and took him away." Kixston explained  
  
Kaneda nodded "Okay. At least i know something about it now." he muttered. "I am going to the monastery."   
  
Kixston nodded.   
  
All in all this didn't turn out to terribly, she isn't dead and will recover quickly. Maybe now I can tell them about the tournament that Cronic wants us in. Then once that debt is paid I won't have to mess with him again. Kixston thought. Maybe after that things will calm down a bit.   
  
He looked at Driretlan walking off.   
  
Then again, they probably won't knowing Dri. He thought following Kaneda and Driretlan. 


	9. GIven Destiny Chapter nine

Chapter 9  
  
Given destiny.  
  
Day broke and the sun flung its rays across the land piercing right through the shades in Driretlan's room at the monastery. But they didn't phase her; she was in a deep dreamy sleep. The cave ordeal has worn her out.   
  
After returning from the cave she was showered with questions and praise by the monks. Daruis on the other hand said a few cold snide words about her training and how her little ordeal was nothing compared to it. Then he just left. She wasn't too pleased about that. Or the fact that Kixston had shown up late, but she just blew everything off and went to bed. Where she had been sleeping for almost two days.   
  
Jin slowly creaked open her door and peered in, she was wrapped up in her sheets with her hand oh her sword, which lay, underneath her pillow. He smiled and chuckled to himself stepping in. He was a bit curious as to if she was okay or not she was all right but from the looks of it she was fine. "I can't blame her for being worn out." He muttered "I slept the first day all the way through."   
  
Kixston walked up behind Jin and laughed "What a bum, we have to wake her up."  
  
"No." Jin protested "let her sleep."  
  
Kixston let out a long sigh, "Sorry kid, but I have to wake her up I need her help with something." he said  
  
"With what?" Jin asked   
  
"I'll tell you later, along with the others." He muttered pushing past him and walking into the room.   
  
Time to tell everyone about the Cronic issue. he thought.   
  
Kixston stopped next to Driretlan's bed and shook her. "Wake up!" he yelled "You've been asleep for two days! that is too long to be slacking off."  
  
Driretlan rolled over "Screw you..." she muttered groggily. "I will do what I want to, and I want to sleep."   
  
Kixston let out a low growl and pulled her with her blankets off the bed. "Up now! like I said two days is too long to lounge around."   
  
"I've done it for four once..." Kaneda muttered leaning against the door way and reading over his book.   
  
"That explains a lot." Kixston muttered.   
  
Driretlan got up and stretched. "Happy asshole I am awake." she muttered picking up her sword and walking out of the room stumbling a bit because her muscles had started to get used to doing nothing.   
  
Kixston shook his head.   
  
"You okay Dri?" Jin asked smiling a bit.   
  
She nodded. "I am just fine, a bit tired though."  
  
"That is what happens when you sleep too much." Kixston added  
  
"No one asked you." she muttered walking into the hall.   
  
Jin and Kaneda both followed her, Kaneda didn't even look up from his book as he walked. They reached the opening in the hall where you could enter the courtyard when Daruis popped out in front of them.   
  
"Your finally up, and look you even brought your entourage." he chuckled   
  
"I don't want to deal with you right now." Driretlan sighed   
  
"Well, tough luck. now that you are awake you can start your training. We begin now!" he smirked. Darius got a glimmer in his eye and looked straight at them he pulled his hand out of his pocket and there was a blur of five lights coming at the group.   
  
Before the attacks could hit anyone Kaneda jumped to the front of the group, swift fully pulling out his sword blocking each of the attacks. He then put it back onto his back and sighed "There will be no training until later." he sighed pulling out his book. "now if you will excuse us, I think that we will be getting some food." Kaneda lead the group off to the mess hall.   
  
He has skill. Darius thought. I wonder how much skill he has...I will test that, soon. I need to find out what her relatives are like so I can calculate how far I can push her with our killing her.   
  
Darius walked back up the hall the way that the others had come. He nearly ran into Kixston who was standing mid hallway with his arms crossed and an angry look on his face. "What is your problem."   
  
"Don't ever try to attack them again, you can train her. But that does not include attacking the others." he snapped walking off.   
  
Darius shook his head.   
  
what a lively bunch, they all have attitudes and power to boot. But she will be twice as strong as all of them combined...she might even grow to my level. He thought.   
  
Hotaru sat on a boat that was sailing across the ocean. She was off in a corner alone grumbling to herself. "I don't know why I had to do this..." Then she remembered that conversation that her and Johnny had, had after he saved her from Gothic.   
  
"You must make up for what you did. You betrayed me and I am letting you live because you are a valuable asset to me. I want you to prove yourself by winning this tournament and getting the weapon for me." He had said. "I know that I could simply take the weapon but there is no sport in that and I know that you can do it, and while you are at it...if you see Driretlan's friends...kill them all. Leave her to me."   
  
She mumbled to herself some more, "that is why I am doing this.....damn...." she growled "I bet that they won't even be there, they don't even live on the mainland. Which means after I get the weapon for him, I will have to leave Aviris and go all the way back to that godforsaken island and kill them." she let out a long sigh "And he just had to take my power of teleportation..."She stood up and leaned on the railing and looked over the ocean.   
  
A guy walked up behind her he had spiky dark red hair and deep blue eyes, there was a long curved sword strapped to his side, and he wore light blue baggy pants with a orange padded vest. A mask covered a large part of his face. "You bored eh?" he asked in a deep voice.   
  
Hotaru nodded " I hate sea travel." she muttered.   
  
He shook his head. "Patience is a thing to learn. Especially for these fights ahead, otherwise you may end up dead."   
  
She let out a low growl. "You don't know anything about me, don't make assumptions."   
  
"Oh I don't, do I Hotaru." He chuckled. "Come come."  
She stood flabbergasted for a moment while he walked away. "Who are you!" she called after him.  
  
He didn't answer he just kept walking, then he walked into the cabin and out of sight.  
  
"Who....was he and how did he know who I was?" she muttered. The sea wind ran through her hair and she sighed, "I'll meet up with him in the fights...then I will find out. one way or another."   
  
Lunus leaned down by a stream and took a handful of water. He pulled it up to his lips letting the cool liquid slid down his throat. He craved more, like the flower in the desert, he drank the water until he was full. "I need to take a break more often, I shouldn't deprive myself of water." he muttered. He looked around him, the surroundings were vaguely familiar.   
  
Hmm, maybe I am getting closer, which means that I shall come upon where mom and dad died all those years ago. Lunus thought. I should go pay my respects while I am there. Mom and Dad deserve it, after all the trouble that Dri and I caused them with Mitara. I should at least pay them more proper respects than I did on the day that they died.   
  
He eased up satisfied with his short rest moving on. He walked through the creek into a small forest. As he walked he felt an odd presence, like something was there with him, and it wasn't something good either. He reached for his weapon but decided that he had best stick with hand to hand combat for now. He didn't have the Terrifen and wasn't going to use the sword that he had on this entity. He spun around as he heard a twig snap, he looked around the forest to see nothing, not even a moving shadow. "Who is there!" he demanded "Show yourself."   
  
Nothing appeared and the only sound that could be heard was the flowing creek.   
  
Lunus shook his head and dropped his guard for a second sighing. "This is far to frustrating." he muttered walking on. He heard something else behind him and turned to see a swiftly moving shadow. He then decided that it was time to get out of that forest. As he ran he felt the presence grow stronger and he could feel some one's icy gaze on his back. Once he reached a small clearing he stopped and drew his weapon. "All right I am sick of your games! show yourself!" he demanded.   
  
There was a swift movement in the trees and a shadow came upon him.   
  
He ignited his sword with blood red flames and waved it at the shadow. It of course fled from the flames. "Leave me alone." Lunus said  
  
"I can't do that." the shadow whispered. "I have to destroy you!"  
  
Lunus sighed and concentrated and his flames engulfed the shadow before it could even move. "That is the end of that." he muttered walking on.   
  
The icy feeling returned again and before he could react a piercing pain shot through Lunus' back. Then he lost all feeling in his legs and fell to his knees.  
  
"Nighty, night." The shadow hissed.   
  
Then Lunus fell forward unconscious. And the figure behind him pulled off its hood to reveal it's self as a woman. She had long black hair and her eyes were deep green. Her skin was light, very light like she had been dead for quiet some time.   
  
"Well brother, I hope you learned your lesson. After I kill you and that brat you call a sister I will hold the power once more." She sneered. "And with this new body I will be much better equipped to do so." She picked up Lunus' arm and drug him off deeper into the forest.  
  
A little later  
  
Driretlan bounded back and rebounded off the wall charging back towards Daruis. Daruis formed an invisible wall with a whisk of his hand and Driretlan smacked right into it.   
  
"Don't be so hasty for an attack." He said coldly as she wiped a bit of blood from her lip.  
  
"I wasn't being hasty!" She yelled "this is hasty!" Driretlan charged forward and then she seemed to disappear for a second.   
  
She is very fast when she wants to be. Daruis thought. But that won't help her any, I am much quicker than she is.   
  
Daruis took a back right stance and drew his sword. He closed his eyes and tried to find Driretlan's aura, but her energy surrounded him it was almost impossible to detect the source. Then he felt a vast amount of energy behind him and then a sharp pain spread through his back.   
  
Driretlan stood still clutching her burning sword.   
  
Darius caught his fall and bound back up making a charge. His aura expanded and formed an invisible spike around his sword.   
  
Driretlan jumped over the attack and sent a ball of fire down at him.   
  
Darius blocked it. "Foolish little girl." He sneered. He swung his sword up and cut her leg open.   
  
Driretlan hit the ground hard and still got up.   
  
"Don't bother, I have seen what skill level you are at. Now to begin the real training, follow me." Darius sighed walking out of the room.   
  
Driretlan followed him limping a bit as he led her down a large hallway. "This is ridiculous." She muttered "it has to be the stupidest training regimen that I have ever participated. in. first he wants me to fight him, then he wants me to follow him to start 'the real training,' I don't think that he can make up his mind." She glared at him and stuck out her tongue. "Idiot."  
  
Daruis glanced over his shoulder, "I saw and heard that. I have reason for all this; you must just acquire some patience."  
  
She sighed and shook her head. "Where have I heard that one before?" The words echoed through her head except they were in Kixston's haunting voice. "That would be it," she mumbled.   
  
Daruis lead through tall oak doors and into a large dark room. There was a single window up high near the top of the vaulted ceiling. Fine oak and cherry wood was used in the workings of the walls and even in the rafters in the ceiling. Daruis light a match and lit a single candle. "You will not leave this room once until your training is done. You won't see your friends and you won't even see the monks. You will get everything you need from me." He said coldly. The large oak door slammed shut.   
  
"Okay let me get this straight. I have to get my food, my water and my company from you all while you are trying to kill me? You are twisted." She sighed.   
  
"You either live or die. All on my whim, if am your preverbal god. I can sustain your life or take it away." He smirked  
  
"See there is a few problem with that." Driretlan laughed. "One, I don't believe in one being controlling my fate. And two, if you think that you can take me down easily you have another thing coming. I am not as weak as you may think."   
  
Daruis shook his head. "You will soon learn and accept both of those, because whether you like it or not one being does control your fate. Out there is someone who would do anything to obtain the power that your soul holds. And in the palm of his hand, is your fate."   
  
Driretlan laughed a bit. "You don't know how stupid that sounds. Do you truly think that he would be able to take me with out a fight?"   
  
Daruis shook his head. "You are not seeing the point. You are more thickheaded than I first thought."  
  
"Point being?" She smirked   
  
Darius let out a frustrated sigh, "Let's begin with your training." He muttered   
  
Kixston sat on a wooden bench in the courtyard thinking.   
  
When should I tell them about the little trip that we are going to be taking? He thought. And Driretlan can't come, so I will have to find a replacement for her. I could always take the kid in her place; Cronic might not like it. But as far as I am concerned he can take it and shove it up his ass. But I think that I will have to take Kaneda, Mitzuki, and Ichigo. Maybe Sharon and SuperX as well. If that isn't to his liking he can find someone else to do it.   
  
Jin walked out smiling as usual. "Hey Kixston there you are. The others are looking for you. They want to know what we should do while Dri trains...I think that we should hang around until she is done...but that is just me."  
  
Kixston nodded slowly. "Well I have a plan.. Or proposal if you will." He muttered covering his eyes from the sun as he looked at Jin. "Where are they?"  
  
Jin used his head to point inside "There in the main hall."   
  
Kixston sighed and eased up walking past Jin. "You had best come as well. You will need to hear this too."   
  
Jin looked at him puzzled then he just smiled "All right." He shrugged.   
  
Kixston walked inside forming a plan as to what he was going to say to the others and how she was going to introduce the plan. He let out a long sigh as he eased open the large oak doors to the main hall. Everyone sat at the large table talking to themselves, and Kixston listened in on small bits of each conversation before he sat down at the head of the table.   
  
"Finally you get here." Mitzuki said. "What will our game plan be while the girl is training?"  
  
Kixston took a deep breath about to start his explanation when Jin interrupted.   
  
"I say that we all stay here until she is done then go to Aviris with her." He suggested.   
  
Kixston shook his head. "I have a better plan," he started.   
  
Everyone turned to him giving him their full attention.  
  
"Go on." Ichigo said.   
  
"Well after I fought Lunus, I was injured badly, very badly. I wouldn't have made it if it weren't for Cronic picking me up and dragging me to his hide out. But for his services he had a price, I had to do something for him." Kixston explained. "So he proposed that I fight for him in this tournament on the mainland for a powerful weapon. He said that I could take the offer and take you guys to the main land, or die. I chose the former; I have a lot to do before I can die."   
  
"So you are dragging us into it?" Mitzuki asked.   
  
Kixston nodded "Pretty much, so do you want to help or not."   
  
"Well it is better than sitting around here until her training is done." Ichigo said.   
  
"Yea, from what I heard she wouldn't even be able to speak to anyone but Darius." Sharon said. "So I am in."   
  
SuperX gave a silent nod in agreement.   
  
"Well, If you guys are pushing me into it I guess that I can go." Kaneda smirked   
  
"What about you kid?" Kixston asked   
  
Jin let out a frustrated sigh. "I am not a kid.... But I will go. Maybe the time will pass faster." He muttered.   
  
"Good...We will set sail as soon as we can find a ship." Kixston said.   
  
Mitzuki let out a long sigh. "Oh that is intelligent. Make a promise that you may not be able to keep because you have no transportation." She snapped  
  
Kixston gave her an icy glare; "I will find a way to do it..." he muttered.   
  
Then he remembered that Cronic was going to arrange the transportation.   
  
Well that eliminates some of the problem, but how the hell do I contact him to find out where the transportation will be. He thought. I just have to find him, which will be hard.  
  
Kixston stood up "Cronic is getting us transportation...We just have to find him first."   
  
Mitzuki nodded. "I will go with you to find him."   
  
Ichigo hopped up and smiled "I want to go too!"   
  
Kixston sighed. "Well I guess you two can come with me, but we leave now."   
  
They nodded and followed him to the door, and they walked out into the large fore yard where chickens ran around the monks in brown robes. As they approached the main gates there was a loud roaring noise.   
  
Kixston recognized it and signaled for the others to back away. Soon Cronic came bursting through the gate on his motorcycle.   
  
He slid to a stop and shot dust into their eyes. "Ahh there you are, I figured you would hide somewhere like this." He smirked. "So are you ready?"  
  
Kixston let out a long sigh and turned to Ichigo and Mitzuki. They both nodded.   
  
"I'll get Jin and the others." Ichigo said running back inside past the crowd of awed monks who were standing around looking stupefied.   
  
Well finding him was easier than I thought it would be, apparently he has been keeping tabs on my location. I may have to look out for this in the future, incase he wants to make a habit of it. Kixston thought.   
  
"So, are you bringing all your little friends?" Cronic asked.   
  
Kixston shook his head. "One couldn't make it, but that is of no concern to you." He snapped.   
  
Cronic smirked and shook his head.   
  
Fool doesn't know what kind of hole he is digging himself into. Oh well, I just need them temporarily and if his other friend wants to chase me down after I dispose of them, then I will take care of them too. Cronic thought. It is of no loss to me, I just want that weapon. Too bad I don't have the time to get the weapon myself, if I did that would make it that much funner. Then again, the irony in their situation is enough entertainment for me. Getting slaughtered by the very weapon that you fought to win, that is my kind of outcome.  
  
"Well have it your way. You are due to your ship, which is in the harbor by sundown." He said.   
  
"Wait! Where is that harbor?" Kixston asked.   
  
"It is beyond the East Ridge. If you go EAST from here you should find it." He chuckled.  
  
"Don't be such a smartass Cronic. I know that the East Ridge is in the east. I am more intelligent than you may think." Kixston snapped  
  
"You could have fooled me. You don't look that bright." He sneered "I mean what kind of pathetic creature are you, you reek of human, yet you have that dead smell to you...quite grotesque if you ask me."   
  
Kixston snarled "No one asked you!" He kicked the dirt at his feet. "You are nothing but a bottom feeder Cronic, and if it wasn't for my life staked on this I wouldn't do it for you! None of my kind should associate with things such as you." Kixston spat at him in utter disrespect. All the years of utter hatred that he had for all humans and other creatures sparked back up in him. It took off like a whirlwind taking his emotions and judgment over. "You didn't think that I would be easily killed though. I wouldn't have needed your help I would have just had to wait until a traveler came that I could feed on. I would have gotten all my strength back then. What do you think of that?!"   
  
Cronic stepped off his motorcycle and stared down Kixston, there was almost a heat generated by their stares. Like two rabid dogs fighting over the last piece of food, they started to slowly circle each other. "You are a disgusting loathsome creature, one of which should be wiped out like the rest of your succubus race. You feed off the blood of the others, I find that repulsive. And most consider me something of 'bottom feeder' and you are below even me. What would that make you Kixston?" He taunted.   
  
Kixston let out a low growl. The hair on his arms and the back of his neck, he was beyond furious. The vampiric pride in him was swelling, no one insulted him! He wouldn't allow it. "You...you think that you are so mighty! You pathetic little human! I will kill you!"  
  
"You aren't too good with negotiations are you?" Cronic laughed "I saved your life and you are about to go off and pay your debt for it. But if you wish I will kill you now."   
  
Kixston smirked and took a step back into a fighting position tapping his hilt tauntingly. "I would love to see you try."   
  
Cronic shrugged "but if I kill you I will have no one to do my bidding." He sneered  
  
Kixston uttered an inhuman laugh. "What if I refuse to do your bidding further?" He asked  
  
Cronic locked his gaze on Kixston's and muttered a threat across his mind. Otherwise I will kill your friends, all of them. I will slowly slaughter them one by one in whatever fashion I see fit. And don't pull that 'Go ahead do it, see if I care' shit. I know that you do care, your human side is weak.   
  
Kixston took a step back baffled. He then scowled and shifted uncomfortably, putting up a barrier around his mind. "Fine, we will be at the bay by sundown."   
  
Cronic smiled and got back on his motorcycle. "I am glad that you see it my way." He looked around at all the terrified monks and yelled "BOO!" He cracked up laughing as the monks stepped back. But the roar of his engine soon drowned the laughter out. Cronic fishtailed his motorcycle out of the yard kicking up a good amount of dust.   
  
"Good riddance." Mitzuki muttered   
  
Jin, Ichigo and Kaneda walked out of the main hall and down the small set of steps.   
  
"Now that we are all here, let's move." Kixston ordered.   
  
That night long after the sun had set Driretlan lay on the hard floor of the large training room. Daruis was already asleep and he lay on a bench against the wall. The moonlight streamed in through the little window up near the top of the vaulted ceiling, casting its silvery reflections everywhere. She let out a long sigh and slowly weaved her hands through the streams of moonlight. It was almost like she was weaving something extravagant with the light, making blankets of shadows casting from her hands. She hummed the melody that her brother taught her when she was little as she weaved her invisible blankets with moonlight and shadow. Her mind wandered into deep thought. She considered everything that had happened to her lately. A sudden turn in events from her quiet little life that she had lived since her brother died.   
  
After she had actually gotten used to having Kixston there serving as a guardian of some type, things were back to normal for her. She trained daily and did little things around the home to   
  
Make sure that it was kept in order. The other villagers would come and visit, they were the closest things to a friend that she had ever had. They like her were all demons, most mixed breed that somewhere along the line were tangled up with human blood. She remembered hearing someone refer to mix breeds as "Vines that choke out the flawless rose." She never liked that saying much and she didn't like the people who thought like that way either. But they didn't last long anyway, so she didn't care.   
  
The only thing that ever was slightly exciting was when Kixston would travel and take her along. Even though they could never agree on anything or even get along for more then five minuets when they were awake, she found the traveling fun. She was always looking for an excuse to escape that village, but now she wanted to go back more than ever.   
  
What would be the point in that though? What is waiting there for you? Nothing there is no point in going back at all. It isn't like there will be a warm welcome for you, you are the one that caused most the problems there. And your only true friend there was that bum Kixston, and you are stuck with him on a seemingly endless trip to 'follow my destiny' what if I don't want to follow this destiny? What if I wan to go off and live my life not having to worry about some wanna be dead guy stealing my soul? Do I truly have a choice in that? Why can't I just leave this, break free and do something else...maybe because in some sick demented way, I am doing the right thing for once. Am I? Is marching off to my death, as I am the right thing to do? Should I die for the need of the many, or just say off with em and leave? Driretlan thought. You know what there is no use to me thinking about it, they won't let me go off anyway, they all want me to do this. And I will, until I get the chance to take off, then I will do so. Maybe it will be soon; maybe I can live my life the way that I want it soon.... Maybe.... Someday, but for now I am stuck like this. It is like my body is paralyzed, but my mind is free to wonder free of all boundaries. I am dreaming while still awake, but I am caught in a nightmare. A deep dark nightmare, all except that glimmer of light. My one single glimmer of light that shines bright guide me out of this nightmare... set my soul free. Come back for me brother, I wish to join you and everyone else. In the blissful world of no where.   
  
Driretlan managed a smile and a faint laugh. "Maybe, no matter what I do I will be stuck in this dream." She chuckled "maybe; I just have to adapt...then again, that was never my strong suit." She laughed a little bit then laid her hands under her head staring at the small piece of the moon that she could see.   
  
All will tell with time though. Everything comes with time. She thought yawning and closing her eyes.   
  
Soon she drifted off to sleep with a faint melody playing in her head.   
  
The loud noise of a bell roused Kixston and the others out of bed. The morning sun was bright and it poured easily across the wasteland of fallen buildings and dirt. The mainland wasn't how everyone thought that it would be. After two days on the ocean they spent four days here, none of them truly enjoyed it, they all were anxious for the tournament to start so they could go back to their island.   
  
The group all slowly assembled outside the small building that had become their quarters.   
  
Jin sat on the roof enjoying the wind flowing through his hair and the way that it blew softly over the sand.   
  
Kixston sneered "I take it that you enjoy this wasteland." He shook his head. "You are pathetic."  
  
"You just have to make the best of what you have Kixston." he smiled. "There is nothing that we can do about this place, so we might as well enjoy it the way it is."   
  
Kixston let out a low growl.   
  
"You know that he is right though." Kaneda smiled "There is nothing that you can do about this place being the way that it is. You just have to make the best of your situation, either that or be miserable."   
  
"Hmf. I think that you both are foolish." he snarled stomping off towards the main building.   
  
Ichigo sighed and shook her head.   
  
"Is he always this grumpy?" Sharon asked   
  
"I think that it might be a morning thing." Ichigo said.   
  
"Yea if morning it twenty four hours a day." Mitzuki sighed. "Face it the guy has a serious attitude problem and on top of that he doesn't know when to quit. I don't think that there is a single thing in the world that could make that guy happy."   
  
Ichigo shook her head in disagreement. "There has to be something that can cheer him up, I think that he is just having a bad day you know? I think that we should try to make him feel better."  
  
"Yea!" Sharon cheered. "Maybe then he won't be so depressing."   
  
Mitzuki laughed "You two have at that. And while you are trying to find what makes him happy I will be getting old and withered. Trust me, people like that are best left alone."   
  
"I think that is what his problem might be." Kaneda said. "I know that after being alone for a while it starts to get to you. I think that he was alone for too long."   
  
"I don't know how that can be, according to Dri, he raised her. And before that he was friends with her brother. I don't know how alone he could have been." Jin said.   
  
"Kixston is old...really old. Maybe it was damage done from earlier in life. Or maybe it is like Mitzuki said, he just has an attitude problem." Kaneda added "The only person who knows is him, and I think that we should leave it alone."  
  
Loneliness is prolonged by a broken heart, maybe that is Kixston's reason for being the way that he is. No matter how many people he is around he always looks lonely. Kaneda thought. Being that old, there is no telling how many times he has had his heart torn apart. And he just tries to make us think that he is a hard ass.  
  
Before Kixston entered the main building he turned and looked back at the others. "Are you coming or what!?" he yelled.   
  
Jin jumped off the top of the roof. "I think that we should join him. Today is the first day of matches, we don't want to be late." He smiled  
  
"Your always so damned upbeat Jin...kinda makes me sick." Mitzuki sighed walking towards the building.   
  
"I think that it is encouraging." Sharon smiled   
  
"You would." Mitzuki growled   
  
Ichigo smirked and shook her head following them. "Coming Kaneda?"   
  
"Yea." He nodded patting his chest armor. "Ahh man.. I will catch up guys! I forgot my book." He said jogging back into the small stone building.   
  
"Him and that book I swear." Ichigo muttered   
  
"Personally I am glad that he has it." Mitzuki said. "It is good to have hobbies."   
  
Ichigo laughed a bit and they all walked into the large stone building where Kixston was. Inside there were hundreds of people and demons all gathered around a small table area where a guy stood with a microphone.   
  
"Welcome all fighters!" he yelled. "I am glad to see such a turn out for this competition. I know why you are all here so I will cut to the chase."   
  
There was a round of cheering as he said this, and the crowd moved forward like a wave.   
  
"You all will be fighting on your teams against other teams for this weapon!" The guy on the table cheered. He held up a spear. "This is a weapon which belongs to the fabled Shuvanis Panch! One of the five most powerful weapons in the world!"   
  
The crowd cheered and yelled. Most of them yelling for the fights to start.   
  
"Power hungry fools." Kixston muttered.   
  
"Rarti..." Jin muttered.   
  
That is one of the weapons that the priest mentioned, we have to win this. We can't let someone else get that. If they do, they could use it against Dri and take her soul. Jin thought.   
  
"What were you muttering about kid?" Kixston asked.   
  
"That weapon is...never mind I will explain it later." Jin said. "For now we got to focus on the fights."   
  
"Wow that almost sounded serious," Kixston laughed. "Were you going for that?"  
  
Jin smiled "actually I was. Did I look really serious?"  
  
Kixston nodded "You almost had me fooled."   
  
"I am serious though, we can't lose this." he muttered  
  
"I got you kid. I wasn't planning on losing." Kixston said.   
  
Jin nodded and focused on the announcer as he explained everything for that days matches.   
  
Every team was to fight one match, and the teams that had the most members in fighting condition after that match would advance to the next day. You could have as few members on your team as you wanted, but no more than six. The rules for the fight were simple, any thing goes. Which is how the crowd seemed to like it they all seemed like ruffians for the most part.   
  
Why do I always get stuck in these situations? Hotaru thought. I don't want to be here with these pigs, I could be off doing something far more productive. Why does Johnny want that stupid spear anyway? So what if it is a Shuvanis Panch, there has to be more powerful weapons out there.  
  
"Your wrong about that." The guy with dark red spiky hair from the boat chimed. "The Shuvanis Panch are the most powerful weapons out there. But that spear isn't the most powerful, I would say that Kaulo is, but it is also debated that Terrifen is the strongest."   
  
"What the hell are you talking about?" Hotaru growled   
  
"The weapons of course. Don't you know the story of them?" he asked   
  
Hotaru snorted "Of course I do!" she stomped her foot. "Why are you talking to me anyway?"   
  
"Is it a crime for a guy to make small talk." He asked   
  
"It is when you are reading my mind in the process." Hotaru sneered. "That is how you knew my name on the boat. Correct?"   
  
The guy nodded "Yea, the name is Crimson. I didn't mean to read your mind, just an old habit of mine."   
  
"Then get out of it, it is rude." She sighed.   
  
The guy shook his head. "I will if you will let me hang around...You wouldn't believe how unfriendly some of the girls are around here. Out of the few that is." He said.   
  
Hotaru let out a long sigh, "If you agree to keep your mouth shut I will let you stay."   
  
Crimson nodded "You have a deal."   
  
The announcer set the first twenty matches for morning and early after noon.   
  
Kixston and the others didn't have their match in that period of time so they all went back to their quarters to relax until the afternoon call was made.   
  
Hotaru on the other hand had her match right after the meeting. Of course Crimson decided that he was going to tag along. The matches were held in a fallen skyscraper that had been modified into an underground ring. She was set to match some team with a name that she couldn't even pronounce. There were three members, against her. Fair odds in her opinion.   
  
She stood on one side of the makeshift ring staring down the guy who claimed to be the team leader.   
  
"The team with the last member standing wins!" The announcer yelled. "So FIGHT!!" he jumped backwards out of the ring and into the darkness of the stands.   
  
"It is sad that I am going to have to tear you limb from limb little girl." The guy laughed.   
  
Hotaru laughed. "I would love to see you try."   
  
The guy let out a low growl and charged at her. She jumped over his attack and landed a kick to the back of his neck. He hit the ring face first and skidded.   
  
"that was way to easy, are you dead all ready?" she teased.   
  
The guy slowly picked himself up. "You will have to do better than that."   
  
Hotaru smiled "I was hoping that you would say that." she took a back right stance and swayed a bit. "Okay, give me your best shot."   
  
The guy pulled out swords and swung them around his body as if to show off.   
  
"Please." Hotaru sighed. She concentrated her energy and muttered something. The ground shook a bit and cracked allowing a jet stream of water to shoot up from underneath the guy knocking his swords out of his hands. The water flow stopped suddenly and his swords came back down upon him. One pierced his shoulder and the other sliced a large but in his head. "ouch." Hotaru muttered as the guy hit the ring. "Next."   
  
Another fighter stepped up into the ring, it was a guy with long brown hair and an eye patch over his left eye. "I hope that I serve a better challenge then my friend." he said.   
  
"Maybe you will, maybe you won't." she muttered.   
  
"Before we fight I wish to introduce myself. I am Mussashi." He said giving a slight bow.   
  
"Ahh a gentleman. I am Hotaru, the deliver of your death." she chuckled. "Now lets start this."   
  
Mussashi sighed and shook his head. He reached up into his sleeves and pulled out four throwing daggers in each hand. "I am afraid that I cannot die." he threw the knives at Hotaru. As they spiraled through the air a small field of electricity formed around each of them.   
  
Hotaru dodged six of the ten, but the other four struck her in her thighs and forearms. "Pretty good." she muttered. There was a sudden pulse of electricity sent through her body that paralyzed her long enough to let Mussashi charge her and upper cut her. Hotaru flew back and hit the ring hard.   
  
How did he do that? Did he just paralyze me, but how? was it the electricity. Hotaru thought. I will just have to dodge his electric attacks from now on.  
  
She pulled her self back up and as he charged she drew two swords off her hips.  
  
Mussashi threw some more daggers charging with electricity as well.   
  
Hotaru muttered something and right before the daggers hit her they hit a force field. "Nice try, but that won't work against me twice." Hotaru jumped right through her own shield and sliced open Mussashi's chest.   
  
He tumbled backwards gasping a bit then he got a twisted smile and pulled out what looked like a scroll. He quickly pulled a sheet of paper off it and flung it at her. "Demon exorcism!" he yelled.   
  
Hotaru simply sliced it in half and lunged at him again.   
  
Mussashi threw another one at her and it landed on her chest then fell off. He looked horrified. "What kind of demon are you?!" he yelled   
  
She just laughed and kicked his shoulders sending him backwards. He landed on the ring and started to crawl backwards. Hotaru pinned him and put her swords to his throat. "I'm not a demon, just a servant of the devil." she smirked.   
  
Mussashi passed out and Hotaru laughed standing back up and pushing him out of the ring and to the final member of his team. "So do you want to fight me?" she teased.   
  
The guy laughed pulling off his cloak. He had long black hair and a deep tan with pure black eyes. "I will take you little girl. I will be glad to out do my poor team members."   
  
"Big talk. Let's see you back it up!" Hotaru yelled taking a fighting stance.   
  
The guy smirked and charged forward landing a punch to her stomach before she even had time to react. She was thrown back out of the ring.   
  
He is tough, this one might be hard. She thought.   
  
"Your not trying hard enough!" Darius yelled slamming his foot on the hard wood floor.   
  
Driretlan picked herself up off the floor and wiped the blood from off her brow. "Let me be the judge of that." she muttered standing shakily. Blood was all over her clothing and the floor around her along with char marks from fire. She growled a little bit and summoned a flame in the palm of her hand. It grew and the edges of it licked her wrist and the flame rose high into the air. She smirked and it suddenly snuffed out. Driretlan made her charged throwing a punch with the same arm landing it square of Darius' chest before he could even block.   
  
He gasped as the flame shot up around her fist and burned a whole in his shirt and started to burn his chest.   
  
She managed to get the flame hot enough that it became invisible, I knew that she could do it. To bad the punch is still too weak. Darius thought.   
  
He grabbed her shoulder with his right hand and punched her in the stomach with the left sending her back about ten feet.   
  
Driretlan hit the ground and rolled a little bit coughing up a bit of blood.   
  
"And that was just with my left hand, and I wasn't even hitting you hard. You need to be able to do that, or at least learn how to block an attack." He said coldly. "Your done for now, take a break and clean yourself up."   
  
She let out a low growl. "My ass not full strength. That hurt like a bitch, I am going to show him a thing or two." She got up and charged him, Darius caught her first punch but with her other hand she hit him in the jaw then she kicked him into the wall. "That is for making me bleed so much." she muttered walking off to the opposite corner to clean up her wounds.   
  
She has a temper I will give her that, but that won't get her as far as she needs to go. She needs to buckle down and pay occasional attention. He thought. Otherwise she is going to get herself killed, and I doubt that her brother will like that, then again what do I care what he thinks. I am the trainer, I can do as I please with her.   
  
Driretlan sat wrapping the wounds on her arms and muttering to herself angrily. She wasn't liking the whole someone else being in charge of her bit. She didn't deal well with authority.   
  
Hopefully this will be over with soon, he is driving me up the wall with his commands. I didn't know that he would be She thought.   
  
Driretlan let out a long sigh. "Oh well, if this is what will make me stronger then I will have to put up with it now won't I."   
  
Jin sat in the sunlight on the roof playing his flute waiting for their afternoon match. Hotaru's match had come and gone, with her arising as the victor after a very long bloody battle.   
  
"Hey kid how long are you going to play that thing?" Kixston yelled from inside "It is staring to give me a head ache."   
  
"Ahh lay off Kixston it is relaxing." Kaneda yawned.   
  
"That is only because you are half way unconscious over there." Kixston grumbled.   
  
"I am just resting up for that match is all." he muttered stretching out. "There isn't anything wrong with that is there?"   
  
Kixston sighed and started to say something snippy when Mitzuki came in and interrupted him. "It is time that we get moving to the ring, our match is going to start soon."   
  
Kixston nodded. "Everyone gather up your weapons and such we are heading out."   
  
"Rodger." Kaneda mumbled putting his sword back in the sheath with a loud clang.  
  
Ichigo slid her newly sharpened super sized shuriken into it's holster on her back.   
  
Mitzuki did a few simple stretches and Sharon just hummed to herself.   
  
"Let's go!" Kixston ordered as he started off towards the ring.   
  
Jin jumped off the roof and followed closely. He could feel the tension in the air, everyone was a bit nervous but they didn't want to show it. There was no telling how tough their opponent or opponents would be. and they all knew, some better than others, what was riding on this. They couldn't lose a single match.   
  
They walked through the huge doors and into the building. The crowd was huge and they were every where. There was a small path to the ring, which looked as though it only has a few feet around it to spare. As they shoved their way up to the ring they got a glimpse of their opposing team. It was a group of burly looking guys with scowls on their face.   
  
"They look cheerful." Ichigo muttered  
  
Jin smiled. "Well we have something on them then."   
  
Sharon nodded in agreement. "I think that is somewhat of an advantage, you can't fight well when you are in a bad mood, or at least I can't."  
  
When they reached the ring the announcer called for the first set of fighters to come up. The first guy to come up for the opposing team had black shaggy hair with red streaks. When Jin caught sight of him a gasp escaped his throat.   
  
It can't be! he thought. But I thought that he died...why would he be here?  
  
"Well this guy looks easy enough, I will take him." Kixston said.   
  
Jin shook his head and stepped up. "I will fight him.." he muttered   
  
"What? Why?" Kixston asked   
  
"He is my brother and I have a score that I need to settle with him." Jin said giving a faint smile and hoping into the ring.   
  
"Well what a surprise, my miserable little brother is alive. I thought that I killed you along with the others." the guy snapped  
  
"Afraid not Shin. I survived..... barely though." Jin said. "Why did you have to kill them all?"   
  
"This isn't the time or place for me to explain brother. You will find out when you join them on the other side." Shin said coldly.   
  
"I won't join be joining them. I have too much to do before I can die." Jin said.   
  
The announcer started the match and a blazing wind swirled around inside the arena.   
  
"And I thought that Dri had family issues." Mitzuki muttered.   
  
Kixston let out a low growl.   
  
That Shin guy is way stronger than the kid, there is no way that he can win this. He is going to get himself killed...Kixston thought.   
  
All of the sudden it hit Kixston that he was underestimating Jin the same way that he did Driretlan all the time. Whenever he said that she couldn't do it, she would.  
  
Hmf. Maybe I should give him some credit then, I have been proven wrong about this sort of thing before. Kixston thought.   
  
'Maybe you should give people credit every once in a while. There are people out there as strong as you Kixston. If you pulled your head out of the clouds every once in a while you might see that.'   
  
Damnit Dri, for once you are making a little bit of sense. Lets just hope that the kid can do it. Kixston thought.   
  
Shin and Jin were staring each other down, and Shin was the first to launch an attack. He formed a whirlwind around his fists and charged forward.   
  
Jin dodged his attack and jumped up behind him delivering a tornado kick to his back.  
  
As Shin hit the ground he shot a blast of wind at Jin that hit him in the shoulder.   
  
Jin fell back but caught him self and used the wind to hover over the ground. "Take this Shin!" he yelled spiraling at him with a kick.   
  
Shin wasn't able to dodge quick enough and Jin barreled down on him with a drill kick. He grabbed Jin by the ankles and slammed him into the cement and formed another whirlwind around his fist, except this time it was much stronger. "Remember this one little brother? What was it called again.. Tornado something...oh well it will come to me eventually." he laughed punching Jin in the shoulder.   
  
The vest around Jin's shoulder ripped and the tornado started to cut away at his skin.   
  
"I hope that you enjoy that feeling brother, because you have more of it coming!" Shin yelled forming another tornado around his other hand and barreling it into Jin's stomach.   
  
I can't give up yet, I have to beat him! I have to stop him! Jin thought.   
  
Jin kicked his brother off him then delivered a punch of his own to Shin's jaw. "I won't go down easily Shin... I am not a little kid anymore I am much stronger now."   
  
"Ahh but you are just a kid! And you will die one too!" Shin yelled.  
  
I have to try something, please let it work. Jin thought. 


	10. Chapter 1 revised

Given Destiny

Chapter One

Day break came over the small village that sat at the base of a large cliff, the sun was peaking over the cliff giving the area a light orange glow. Most of the men in the village were already up attending to their animals and crops that they had in small plots of land around their huts. The birds were awake and singing loudly their morning songs, and the sound of the nearby water fall seemed to get louder as if to try to drown out the sounds of the birds. On the outskirts of the small village there was a hut, outside there were no live stock or any kinds of plants, but weapons that leaned against the wooden walls. There was a shuffling noise inside and a girl with long black hair streaked with blood red highlights walked into the day light. The sunlight reflected off her bright green eyes as she looked up into the sun blinking some. A long sigh escaped her lungs as she surveyed the area. "This is going to be a long day, i can tell." she grumbled picking up a spear from off the side of her hut and walking into the forest.

There was a loud swishing noise and a cloaked figure dropped out of a nearby tree.

The girl pulled a sword out from under her cloak and spun around putting it to the figures throat. "Take one more step and you will lose your head." she smirked

"There is no need for you to get testy Driretlan. It is to early in the morning for me to deal with your crap." The figure growled dropping his hood, a pale angular face of a man and lively yellow eyes stared at her. "What the hell are you doing with that spear anyway? You aren't planning on attempting another hunt are you?" he said with a slight chuckle

"No, I am not Kixston." she growled sheathing her sword. "I have something that I must do with this before i leave to accompany you on your little journey tonight."

He gave her an odd look and shrugged. "I don't get you Driretlan." he sighed. "You are such a freak sometimes."

She turned on her heels and walked into the forest. "Don't even think about taking a nap on my bed you moocher. I won't allow it, next time why don't you sleep at night like everything else does."

Kixston smirked and turned around as well, pulling the hood of his cloak back over his face. "For the same reason that you won't go near water, I just don't like the day time. But I have a better excuse than you, I am half vampire after all." He clicked his tongue on the back of his teeth staring at the edge of the forest while waiting for her reply.

Driretlan swung around throwing a dagger right into the tree next to where Kixston stood. "I have a valid reason as well asshole." she muttered walking off into the forest. "I had better not see you around when I get back otherwise i am going to kill you for that comment."

Kixston smirked and shook his head.

_I would pay to see that Driretlan. _He thought.

Kixston made his way into the outer edge of the village entering a house that was built into the cliff. This had been the home of Driretlan's family long ago, but she refused to live there, let alone step foot inside that is why she built the home on the edge of the village.

_I wonder why after all these years my brethren have suddenly cried out to me for help. How am i supposed to assist them with anything that they could be facing in the north? How can i make a difference to them? _Kixston thought as he shed his cloak and walked into a dark room. _I shouldn't be thinking about such things yet, for all i know they may want my head because i abandoned them during the war of the clans. _

Kixston walked over to a large bed with a feather stuffed mattress and laid down closing his eyes and rubbing his temples, "What ever it is, i hope that i am not dragging Dri to her death. I promised Lunus i would watch over her." he muttered.

Driretlan walked into a clearing in the forest, the sunlight filtered down shining brightly on a rock in the center of the clearing. She stabbed the spear into the ground and knelt infront of the stone. "I know that this may be futile, but i bring back to you your staff Tatsu. I wanted to thank you for what you did for me as a child before I left this village. I am not saying that i am in your debt or anything, i just had to thank you." she closed her eyes sighing some then she opened her eyes and looked around the clearing. The stone in front of her had the name "Tatsumaru Kenari" crudely engraved into it. A sad smile crossed Driretlan's face and she pulled off her cloak folding and setting it next to the stone.

A katana was strapped to her left hip and the metal sheath reflected the bright sunlight, a light breeze blew through the area and the leaves rustled casting shadows on her sleeveless black shirt and baggy black pants. The red emblem on her shoulder seemed to stand out brightly even in the shadows though.

She swiftly turned around and headed back through the forest to her small hut. Before going inside she looked over her peaceful village smirking some. As much as she had felt like she hated this place over the years she would miss it. She had grown up and trained here, this was the only place that she could call home. Driretlan shook these thoughts out of her head and walked back into her hut. She took the sword off of her hip and laid it beside her bed. She then to laid down, she knew that there would be a long night ahead of her. "I hope this doesn't take too long, i don't want to have to travel with Kixston for a long period of time. He is so arrogant and cocky, it drives me up the wall, and i would hate to have to kill him." she muttered drifting off into a hazy sleep.

Driretlan sat on a cliff over looking a vast valley, the moon was casting a silvery shine on the rivers that weaved in and out of the valley. Kixston came up behind her and stared at the valley for a moment before speaking in his deep voice.

"We should get going if we expect to make good time tonight." He said dryly.

"I guess that we should be going then."Driretlan sighed getting up and pulling the hood of her black cloak off turning around she walked passed him. "Kixston this had better be worth it."

"It will be trust me. We just have to make it to the Mirojen Province in a week." Kixston said walking behind Driretlan, "Which shouldn't be a problem if we avoid running into to much trouble. Then again the trouble would be a nice break from the daily routine hu?"

"Sure whatever you say, Kixston." Driretlan smirked

The night was still other than the light breeze that filled the air. Kixston walked slowly his sword clanging loudly against his thigh. A bad feeling suddenly set over him as he walked on, there was something going on, something was out of sync he could feel it in the air. There was a sudden rising in the air pressure and the ground quaked a little.

"Did you feel that too?" Kixston asked freezing mid-step and surveying the area.

"Yes I feel it..." Driretlan said with hesitation as the ground shook again. There was a loud cracking noise as part of the cliff behind them fell off. Driretlan gasped and let out a low growl. "Damnit." she muttered making a break towards the cliff's edge. Kixston grabbed her arm and practically threw her the opposite direction. The ground behind them split open and a loud rumble filled the air.

Kixston grunted and raced away as the crack in the ground. Quickly the crack spread reaching towards him. When he passed by Driretlan he pulled her to her feet. "If they are dead then they are dead. There isn't anything that you can do about it! So don't do something stupid!"

Driretlan nodded and jumped away from the crack getting a pretty good distance off the ground. When she landed she gave one last glance to the cliff edge as it fell apart before she continued to run.

"Well at least this way we are making better time." Kixston said through gritted teeth as he dashed away from the cliff.

"Yea the time will be better if we live through it." Driretlan snapped lunging forward and taking wider steps. The shaking reached a sudden peak, knocking Kixston and Driretlan off their feet, the shaking stopped and an eerie glow came from the huge cracks in the ground.

Kixston stumbled to his feet, "Well that looks promising." He stammered

Driretlan hopped back onto her feet. "Do you want to stick around and look at what will emerge from that or do you want to get your ass moving?" Driretlan snapped

Kixston pulled off his hood and shot Driretlan a nasty look, "This is a nice time for you to get snappy. Lets get moving."

Driretlan let out a low growl and walked off up the field after Kixston. Driretlan and Kixston got about half way across what was left of the field when a shadow dropped down from the sky and landed in front of them.

"Are you leaving so soon? Man and I thought that you would stay for the second half of the show." The shadow laughed hauntingly.

Kixston narrowed his yellow eyes and glared at the shadow. "Driretlan and I would love to stay for your show Asamee, but we have plans." Kixston sneered

Asamee looked directly at Kixston and laughed coldly, "Now your plans have changed."

"I don't have time for this." Driretlan sighed pulling out a sword from under her cloak. Driretlan quickly charged Asamee with her sword in a normal slashing position.

"Driretlan! You idiot!" Kixston yelled "You have no idea what you are doing!" He took a half step forward, then he rested his hands on the large sword at his side.

_She is too thick headed to listen to me, I am going to have to hang back for the moment. She would only be used as a shield by Asamee if I jumped in now. _Kixston thought.

Driretlan ignored Kixston and slashed right through Asamee. Driretlan spun around and a cloak fall to the ground. "How did I miss?" She glowered, her glance darting around to see where Asamee had gone.

"Look up!" Kixston yelled. He stomped his foot letting out a low growl.

_That guy never changes, he will always use his dirty tricks to win a fight. I hope Dri can use her brain for once._

Driretlan turned her attention upward to see Asamee, long gnarled gray hair and disgusting off white eyed creature falling toward her, with long nails coming off of his fingers, he was ready to strike her. "I can play chicken." Driretlan muttered. She kept an eye on Asamee as he fell toward her, Asamee was about ten feet above Driretlan when he disappeared. "Shit he's gone." Driretlan spun around looking for Asamee.

"What's wrong? Can't keep up with me?" Asamee laughed his voice trailing in her ears, like something that was distorted by a fast moving object.

"Sure I can, just stop moving for a second." Driretlan chuckled. Sharp pain flared in Driretlan's cheek, four long deep cuts caused by Asamee's fingernails made streams of her crimson blood trail down her cheeks.

Asamee appeared and did a back hand spring before landing. "Okay I stopped moving. Now lets see you do your best, not that it will help your cause." He cackled glaring at her.

"You know I can't stand people like you." Driretlan snapped, tightening the grip on her sword. "You are all to cocky." She pulled her sword tight against her left side glaring at Asamee.

"Oh right and you are one to talk about being cocky Driretlan." Kixston sighed shaking his head.

"I am trying to fight here, do you mind shutting up!" Driretlan barked lunging forward toward Asamee.

_This guy is going to retreat the second that I am close enough to attack. _Driretlan thought. _I will just have to send him Kixston's way. _

Driretlan jumped up above Asamee and acted like she was going to try to cut him clean in half.

"Stupid kid." Asamee snarled jumping to the side.

Driretlan smirked and threw her sword at Asamee just before he landed The sword sliced through a section of Asamee's side and tore the clothing around it.

Asamee caught himself from falling back and jumped backwards towards Kixston not taking his eyes off of Driretlan.

_That kid how did she know what I was going to do? _Asamee thought

Kixston pulled sword his tightly into charging position against his left side. "Maybe she isn't as stupid as she looks." Kixston said under his breath.

Driretlan grabbed her set of razor tipped fans off of her belt fanning them out taking several slow steps towards Asamee. She would have to distract Asamee while Kixston finished him off. Driretlan ran forward and gave Kixston the affirming 'go' look.

Kixston charged forward silently and thrust his sword through Asamee's back. A shriek filled the air and slowly died down as Asamee lost strength. Kixston's sword glowed with a gray tint, and it slowly transferred to Kixston's body.

Driretlan stashed away her fans on her belt and walked up to Asamee, with a smirk on her face.

_How pathetic, he was weaker than before._ Driretlan thought.

"How...?" Asamee asked weakly, coughing up some blood in the process.

"Like I said, I can't stand people like you. You always to get too damned cocky, then you just run away from your enemies." Driretlan chuckled, then she looked up at Kixston. "Just end his suffering, You really shouldn't slow the process down, we have to keep a schedule."

Kixston just nodded and the glowing in his sword brightened as he took the rest of Asamee's energy. He tore his sword out of Asamee's body letting it fall to the ground. "Pathetic fool, I can't believe you were once part of my clan."

Driretlan shook her head and walked to retrieve her sword out of the ground. "Disgusting." She growled as she pulled it out of the ground. "I hate the way vamp blood clots." Driretlan sighed and took the edge of her cloak wiping off the blood from her sword. She sheathed it and threw her cloak on walking up the field.

Kixston jogged up behind her and re-sheathed his sword. "That should be the very last time that we ever see him." Kixston said dryly brushing his shaggy silver bangs out of his eyes.

"Are you sure that you took all of his energy this time, you thought that you killed him last time." Driretlan muttered sourly, she didn't trust Kixston with tasks such as that.

"Yea, I got his energy and I cut his head off just incase." Kixston explained.

Driretlan and Kixston walked away from Asamee's body and their battle field. Just as they entered the forest surrounding the field, a long shadow was cast above Asamee's body as a winged figure landed with a soft thump. His yellow eyes pierced through the darkness staring at the two walk off. He was standing with his back to the moon chuckling. "Well now that I am here I might as well have fun." He glanced down at Asamee sighing some. "I see bringing you back did nothing, pathetic thing." The winged man looked around taking in the scenery. "I wonder how much it has all changed." The figure muttered slowly spreading his wings and taking off into the darkness of the night.

Bright light from the morning sun shone in-between the trees casting shadows on Kixston and Driretlan as they walked along a small forest path.

"Are we just going to walk the day through?" Kixston asked in a nervous tone.

"We will make better time that way. Do you need to stop for something?" She muttered, her hands were on the back of her head and she was tapping the back of her head in a rather bored manner. They had been on the road for a day now, and she was already bored with it, as well as fed up with Kixston.

"Yea I need to stop for the sunlight...I would rather that we walk at night." Kixston said

"You aren't going to burst into flames are you?" Driretlan asked sarcastically

"No of course not. I am only half you know." Kixston snapped "I just am not to keen to the idea of walking in it."

"Well this forest should stretch for another good ten miles or so...when we reach the end of it we'll stop until nightfall, but then we will have to make up time again." Driretlan sighed. "God, now I am starting to sound like you.."

Kixston ignored her second comment. "Yea, I know that we will have to make up time. I am the one who has traveled this route before, so don't tell me what we have to make up and not make up." Kixston said angrily

Driretlan shook her head and sighed. "All right I will remember that in the future." Driretlan hummed a little tune. It was cherry yet very sorrowful, the melody almost seemed to haunt the forest air as she hummed it.

"You like that song don't you?" Kixston commented.

"Yea." Driretlan mumbled

"I noticed that when ever you get bored you start to hum it." Kixston added "Your brother taught it to you did he not?"

"Yea...but that is old news." Driretlan sighed "You have to get over the past don't sometime." After she said this there was a short uncomfortable silence between the two, then she started to hum the tune again.

Kixston started to whistle the tune as Driretlan hummed it. He shoved his hands in his pockets as he whistled, thinking of his old friend whom he had originally heard the tune from.

Driretlan stopped humming and looked at Kixston, that melody was so easily stuck in his head it was not even funny. Now he would be whistling it all day.

The only noise in the forest was coming from Kixston whistling, until a loud crash filled the air.

"Should we go take a look?" Driretlan asked jumping slightly at the noise

"Sure, it sounds like it is right on our way." Kixston said running ahead.

Driretlan followed Kixston weaving in between the trees running toward the noises. When they drew near the crashing noise the forest abruptly ended into a clearing. The clearing was freshly made and was filled with hundreds of stumps from once beautiful tees. In the middle of the clearing there was a girl with long brown hair weaved into a long braid wearing a kimono top that tied around the waist with the skirt cutting off at the knees. Blood covered her legs and she stood there breathing heavily and holding a huge shuriken, she stood on a stump facing an ugly human like monster. The monster charged forward and the girl gracefully dodged to the side throwing her shuriken into the monster's back right in between what appeared to be it's shoulder blades. The monster stumbled forward from the impact, and the girl launched herself forward from the stump. She landed on the monster's back and pulled out her shuriken before launching herself backwards off of the monster. She made a skillful landing on a stump preparing to throw her weapon once again.

Kixston was standing in watching the fight with a lot of interest.

"You might as well be drooling all over yourself." Driretlan muttered, "Geez you act as if you have never seen some one fight before."

"I have never seen someone fight like that before.." Kixston smirked

The monster turned back towards the girl and started to stagger forward. She held her shuriken in throwing position awaiting the perfect moment to throw it. As the monster staggered closer she threw the shuriken with deadly force, the shuriken met the monster's throat about half way across the clearing. Then it still had enough force to drag it to the edge of the clearing and pin it to a tree. The girl let out a sigh of relief as the monster twitched and disintegrated. She walked across the clearing to retrieve her weapon, she pulled her shuriken out of the tree and slid it into a holster on her back. There was a shiny deep green stone in the pile of ashes left by the monster, the girl bent over picking it up.

"Now I can take this back to the village where it belongs." She said in a satisfied tone with a smile crossing her lips.

"I am going to speak to that fighter, it won't take long." Kixston said jogging out into the clearing and up to the girl.

"Oh sure now you don't care about the sunlight." Driretlan muttered walking slowly out of the forest.

"My name is Kixston." Kixston smirked as he approached the girl "That was a nice fight, and you got one hell of a weapon."

"I am Mistress Ichigo. Thank you for the compliments." Mistress Ichigo said giving a slight bow to him. "I like my weapon too."

Driretlan waved as she approached. "Hey." She sighed her tone sounding rather anti-social.

_Humans, I don't know why is he so transfixed on them. Heh, maybe she is his next meal. _Driretlan thought.

"Oh sorry I forgot to introduce the slowpoke, that's Driretlan." Kixston said pointing at Driretlan as she sat on a stump.

"Hello." Mistress Ichigo said waving.

"Hey, so I guess that Kixston introduced himself already, well I guess that we will be back off again. We have to keep good time if we are going to get to the Mirojen Province by the end of the week." Driretlan muttered giving Kixston an impatient glare.

"Really your traveling too." Mistress Ichigo smirked "I am a traveler, I just have to return this to a village before I can get on my way again."

"Where is the village at?" Kixston asked

"North of here." Mistress Ichigo said

"Then why don't we go with you to the village, I need some better company than him any way." Driretlan chuckled shooting a slight glare at Kixston.

"Oh I see how it is, you run into a girl and then all of the sudden I am nothing but back ground noise." Kixston grumbled

"Yea, pretty much. It may sound like I am being rude to him, but if you had traveled with him for as long as I have you would understand." Driretlan said with a slight smirk. "It isn't like you were more than background noise to begin with though."

"Oh I know how you feel." Ichigo laughed "I have been there, I think that it would be good to have some company for a change."

"Okay now that it is settled ladies how about we head out." Kixston said a grin spreading across his lips.

Driretlan hopped up and brushed off her cloak and started to walk out of the clearing heading north while talking to Ichigo. Kixston lagged behind a little bit not wanting to speak up and make a total idiot out of himself.

The village wasn't that far north of the clearing, so they arrived there before it was even midday. The sun shown brightly down on the few small houses huddled around the winding dirt road into town. Outside of the huts were piles of baskets and clothing, as well as some children playing.

"I am guessing that this is it." Kixston said.

"No we are just stopping here to smell the flowers." Driretlan smirked

"Well I don't see any flowers." Kixston sighed looking the landscape over once and shooting a glare at Driretlan.

"Umm...Kixston I think she was being sarcastic." Ichigo said

"That figures." He muttered smirking some.

Driretlan chuckled and shook her head. "Well this is where we drop you off, right."

"Sure I guess. Unless you want me to continue on with you."

"I think that it would make the trip better. I am getting tired of little miss sarcasm." Kixston said giving Driretlan a 'what are you going to say to that' look.

Driretlan shrugged and walked on with Ichigo leading the way. She wasn't going to out rightly object right there, though she didn't want to pick up a tag along. She was sure though that Kixston wasn't interested in having another companion, he was just looking for a meal.

Ichigo walked up to the largest house in the village and knocked on the door. An old wrinkled man answered the door and smiled a bit.

"So you have brought back our guardian stone, mistress Ichigo." The old man said

"Yes I did." Ichigo smirked digging the stone out of her pocket. "Here it is sir."

The old man took the stone and handed Ichigo a bag of food that he picked up from beside the door."This is all my village could give for payment. I hope that it is substantial payment."

Ichigo took the bag and smiled "It is just fine. I had to get food somewhere."

"I am glad that you appreciate it. Thank you for your services." The old man said walking out onto the street. Ichigo, Kixston and Driretlan walked out of the village, and the old man watched them go.

"Well at least I have a little bit of something to offer you guys." Ichigo smiled

"Yea the food is a plus, I haven't had a good meal in days." Kixston chuckled

"Maybe that is because you haven't fed in days, except for that bit of energy you snacked on last night." Driretlan whispered to Kixston, "What are you going to tell Ichigo tonight when we are eating dinner and you are just sitting there looking at the food?"

Kixston growled and stomped ahead of the group restraining his urge to strangle Driretlan.

_Remember you are supposed to be protecting her not killing her._ He thought.

After Kixston was out of hearing range Ichigo leaned over to Driretlan. "Why is he so grumpy all of the sudden."

"Oh no big reason, he is just mad that I reminded him of the fact that he hasn't eaten in days." Driretlan laughed

"Oh well if he is that hungry we could eat now." Ichigo offered

"Na we'll live. Besides it is best just to not mention feeding to him right now." Driretlan said snickering some.

Ichigo nodded "I won't say a word...until my stomach over powers my brain."

Driretlan laughed "You are right there, nothing can over power the almighty stomach, it can bring even the strongest men to their knees."

Kixston turned around and smiled reveling to large canine teeth. "Hey don't forget women...you aren't all powerful ya know."

"The guy is right, not even we can beat hunger." Ichigo said

Driretlan nodded and looked ahead, there was a large field that abruptly ended into a huge river. At first Driretlan thought that her mind was playing tricks on her, Kixston hadn't mentioned a river. But as they crossed the field Driretlan realized that this was no trick of the eye. She walked over to Kixston and nudged him with her elbow.

"What is it Dri?" Kixston asked

"Why didn't you tell me about that we had to cross A GIANT RIVER!" Driretlan yelled

"A river what the hell are you talking about?" Kixston asked looking at Driretlan like she was insane. "There is no river around here. There is only a little creek that you could easily jump over. You will have no problem with it."

Driretlan sighed then pointed forward toward the river, "I am talking about that! It is still called a river right!"

Kixston snapped his head in the direction of the river, and his jaw dropped when he saw it. "There wasn't a river there twenty years ago! Where in the hell did it come from!"

"A lot can change in twenty years you know." Ichigo pointed out.

Driretlan gave a satisfied smirk. "I told you that there was a river there. Well we will have detour now."

"We don't have time for a detour, we will have to cross the river." Kixston smirked

Driretlan froze in her tracks and stared at Kixston as he walked on.

"Whats the matter Driretlan?" Ichigo asked

"N...Nothing I am just not to keen to the idea of crossing that river." Driretlan stammered

"Awww what the matter Dri? Is it possible that the big bad Driretlan is afraid of water?" Kixston teased glancing over his shoulder at her.

Driretlan growled, "I am not afraid of water!" she paused, Driretlan knew that Kixston would have some smart ass remark to what she just said. She let out a small sigh hanging her head. "...I just don't like it."

"Uh-hu I am sure that is your reason." Kixston laughed

Ichigo looked at Kixston and then Driretlan and she got a puzzled look on her face. She jogged up to Kixston and tapped him on the shoulder. "Uh...Kixston why is Driretlan freaking out over crossing a river?"

"She is a fire demon and she hates water, with a passion...she is afraid that she will drown or something if she goes into deep water. "Kixston whispered "Even though she knows how to swim, she still won't get into the water."

"Ohh I see." Ichigo said looking back at Driretlan who was walking with her arms crossed muttering to herself. "Is there really no other to get to Mirojen with out having to cross that."

"Well there is but it would take us a while, this is the quickest way across." Kixston said "Don't worry about her, I have seen Driretlan get out of tighter spots then having to cross a river."

The group walked to the river with Driretlan still lagging behind. Kixston waited impatiently at the river bank for Driretlan to come. When Driretlan finally caught up Kixston pulled off his cloak and his sword and started to wade into the water.

"Go ahead and cross there is now way that I am following you." Driretlan muttered

Kixston spun around and glared at Driretlan, "Come on quit acting like a little kid."

"I am not acting like a little kid." Driretlan argued sticking her tongue out at Kixston.

Kixston rolled his eyes and sighed, "Do you have anything that you don't want to get wet Ichigo?"

Ichigo nodded and handed the bag of food over to Kixston.

Kixston took bag and looked at Driretlan, "How about you Dri?"

Driretlan shook her head and sat down beside the bank. "I told you that I am not crossing."

"Okay have your way." Kixston said gently tossing his cloak, and the bag of food into the air. A small bubble appeared around the bag and the cloak and Kixston guided the bubble to the opposite bank with his finger. The bubble sat the stuff onto the ground and then popped.

"Wow that is cool how do you do it?" Ichigo asked.

"Ahh it is simple telekinesis." Kixston laughed wading deeper into the water. "Are you just going to sit there Driretlan?"

Driretlan nodded and drew her knees close to her chest. "I am not crossing."

"Well suit yourself." Kixston muttered.

Ichigo waded in behind Kixston with a small smile on her face. "It really isn't that bad Driretlan, I promise." she said turning around looking at Driretlan who still sat on the bank with a sour look on her face.

The noise of rushing water filled the air as the water level in the river rose up and started to form into a creature.

Driretlan hopped to her feet. "I told you that water was bad news!" She yelled in a slightly victorious tone.

"Shut up." Kixston growled stepping backwards and taking his sword into fighting position.

The water formed into a human looking monster that stood at least twenty feet tall, with a spike for it's left arm. It let out a great garrgled roar creating waves in the river.

"Great.." Kixston sighed

The monster knocked Kixston's sword out of his hand then shot a blast of water at him. Kixston dodged the water by diving underneath the water in the river, but Driretlan was right in it's path.

The blast of water hit Driretlan and blasted her back, she luckily caught her balance and shot her self back toward the monster with her sword. When Driretlan went to attack the monster it turned back into water and she fell right into the river, which was a raging fury. The water quickly started to sweep her down stream. "Kixston you lazy excuse for a half vamp help me!" Driretlan screamed

"Can't you swim?" He asked not moving.

"No!" Driretlan gasped choking on the water.

Kixston started to run toward her but the water was stopping him, and by the time that he got onto shore she was too far away to get to in time. Kixston shot a worried look at Ichigo who was getting up onto the bank.

"Are we going to follow?" Ichigo asked

"Yes we have to...I am not leaving my friend to die by drowning." Kixston growled levitating the stuff from the opposite bank to him. "Lets go."

Later that night.

Driretlan woke up to a hazy mess that looked like a starry sky. She heard an odd but beautiful melody playing in the back ground. "Did I die." She wondered aloud

"No." A voice said as the music stopped "I saved you."


	11. Chapter 10

Chapter 10  
Feud

Jin jumped back and formed another wind attack as Shin recovered from his last one. They had been fighting for a few minuets now with no progress it seemed as though they were almost equally matched.  
Shin flew back and gathered a great amount of wind in his hands. "Here is something for you Jin, Blue Gale!" he yelled as the tornado tore at Jin.  
Jin had to quickly form a spout of wind of the same strength so he could deflect it. Jin shot off his spiral of wind and it collided with Shin's creating a huge tornado in the center of the ring. The audience had to hold on tightly as the wind ravaged the arena.  
Kixston and Kaneda stood bracing the others so nothing would happen to them.  
"Your still holding up over there right Kixston?" Kaneda yelled over the roar of the wind.  
"Just fine, you are to i am guessing."  
Kaneda nodded. "I don't think that i have ever felt something that strong before. And the tension is amplifying their power. This could end up messy."   
Kixston nodded "Messy indeed, These guys had better let up before we loose our power!"  
Kaneda laughed. "Now what would the fun in that be?"  
Kixston let out a low growl. "He needs to learn how to be serious."  
Back in the ring Jin and Shin had started to exchange blows again. Shin was on the offensive and Jin was blocking a majority of his attack with sharp blocks. Jin pulled back his fist and hitting Shin in his stomach and sending him flying.   
"Nice punch, i see that you have gotten a bit stronger.." Shin smirked "Sadly that is not strong enough." Shin summoned another whirlwind in his hands then slid his wrists into the center and broke the whirlwind in half. The whirlwinds climbed up his arms to his shoulders, then down his chest and legs. "this is my wind armor, if you punch me you are liable to be thrown across this ring, and your wind attacks are useless against it." Shin laughed a little bit. "You are done for."  
That will be difficult to handle. Jin thought. How can I combat that? I need an attack that can break through that wind armor and hit him. But how can i do that?  
"Think fast Jin!" Shin yelled charging. He punched Jin but he dodged the main part of the attack but it still grazed his shoulder sending him flying.  
Jin smashed into the wall on the side of the arena. He stayed there for a second then he pulled himself out of the wall. "Shin, you will have to better than that to kill me." Jin muttered floating back into the ring.  
"I am sorry brother, i shall kill you next time." Shin cackled.  
Jin took an offensive stance and wind surrounded his body. He formed his own wind armor and then charged forward meeting Shin mid air with a kick. This time he wasn't thrown back, and their armors of wind fought out a battle with in a battle each time either one landed a punch or a kick.  
Shin threw a axe kick and Jin blocked using a high block then countered with knife hand. Shin stopped Jin's attack and flipped him over his shoulder. Jin re-cooperated himself then threw a barrage of punches, all of which Shin blocked.  
All of his body is covered in that armor as long as he has that i can't harm him with my attacks, all i can do is waste my energy. Jin thought. Wait, his head, it is an open target he doesn't have the shield around that. If i can land a strong enough attack it will disrupt his concentration and the wind armor will disperse.  
"You shouldn't think while fighting." Shin sneered knocking Jin back with a powerful kick.  
Jin balanced him self out and charged his brother. They started to exchange blows again, this time Jin was swift to block all attacks made by Shin. He was rotating his arm almost in an instant from a high block to a low block, and back up again. His movement flowed smoothly, unlike Shin's which were jerky and un-fluid. As Shin threw a punch to Jin's stomach, Jin swung his elbow up and knocked Shin in the jaw with all his might. Then in the split second while Shin was phased Jin formed a powerful wind attack in his palms and shot it at Shin. It hit Shin in the forehead and plowed him into the ground where the force of the wind dug a pit into the ring. Shin's armor fell, as Jin thought it would and he landed beside the pit. "I am sorry that it had to come to this Shin." Jin muttered looking into the dusty pit. He formed another attack. "But it had to eventually."  
Before Jin could even put the finishing touches on his attack a tornado shot out from the pit and hit Jin catching him in the cyclone of wind. He was soon smashed into the ceiling, then the power of the tornado held him up there crushing him. "Sorry to disappoint you, but you won't be finishing me off brother!" Shin yelled climbing out of the pit. In one of his hands was the tail end of the tornado and in the other was the startings of another. "Now, die!" Shin shot the second tornado into the first and they melded to make an immense force that started to tear away at the ceiling around Jin.  
Pain tore through Jin's body as the tornado tried to rip apart his body, large cuts formed across his skin and his blood was sucked into the vicious cyclone.  
There has to be something that i can do, some way that i can defeat him. I have to beat Shin, or i will end up dead. And that doesn't sound to appealing to me. Jin thought. I have to do something quickly, before i am torn limb from limb.  
With much struggle and agony Jin brought his hands together and attempted to form a counter attack.  
If i shoot it right down the center of his tornado I am liable to hit him, that is if i can aim it well enough while i am spinning around like this. Jin thought.  
Jin felt a slicing pain in his back, he glanced over to see a large piece of rebar hanging out of the ceiling. Jin gathered his attack and then once he passed the rebar grabbed onto it with one hand holding his attack with the other. He then flung it straight down the middle of Shin's tornado, right into Shin's palms.  
Shin let out a loud yell when the attack hit his hand and the tornado suddenly dispersed. "You! How could you!" Shin yelled holding his hands up. There were large pieces of concrete shoved deep into his palms.  
Jin held onto the rebar tightly for a moment before he drifted down to his brother's side. "You were willing to kill me, why should you expect me not to defend myself?" Jin asked in a soft tone. "This was your destiny brother, it was given to you when you killed them."  
Shin let out a low growl and started to form another attack lunging at Jin.  
Jin just kicked his brother in the shoulder and he fell back onto the ground. "Don't make this harder than it is.." Jin pleaded. "Please back out of this fight and leave."  
"the only way that i am leaving is when one of us is dead!" He yelled sweeping Jin's feet out from under him. Shin then got onto his feet and tore the chunk of cement out of his palms and let the blood drip to the ground for a moment. "You know that hurt, badly...and you will pay for that pain." Shin formed a tornado and used it to pull a large block of cement out of the arena then he slammed in onto Jin before he could even flinch.  
A large gust of wind tore up through the cement block but before Jin could rise Shin smashed another chunk of cement on top of that and he did so several more times until there was a large pile on top of Jin. "Try to escape that brother." He cackled.  
There was no movement or reply from the rubble.  
"That was easy, maybe I should have done that earlier." Shin laughed.  
In the crowd, Kaneda, Kixston and the others stood in complete awe of the situation.  
"He killed his own brother..." Kaneda muttered.  
"Serves the kid right for jumping in over his head." Kixston muttered.  
Kaneda got a sudden angry look on his face and he pulled Kixston up by his shirt. "How can you say something like that! It is your own damned fault that he died! If you didn't owe Cronic we wouldn't be in this mess!" he yelled.  
A large gust of wind focused their attention back on the ring.  
The cement chunks that were on top of Jin were busted into ity bity pieces and Jin stood battered and bloody in the midst of it all. He summoned up a even stronger wind force and launched the pieces of cement at Shin. The shards pierced Shin's skin on contact and he let out a blood curdling yell. Jin just stood there un-phased while he kept his attack going. his eyes weren't the normal color they were a deep glowing red and there was a mark that looked like a tattoo forming on his cheek.  
Shin quit yelling and quit moving and his limp body was thrown into a wall and then Jin used his power to bring it back into the ring then slam it into the wall again.  
"JIN STOP!" Ichigo yelled. "HE IS DEAD! YOU MUST STOP!"  
Everyone else started to yell at Jin along with Ichigo telling him to stop.  
In the back of his mind Jin himself was yelling for someone to stop him. Then in a loud steady rhythm Shuvanis's voice called out to Jin.   
You must stop Jin! you have to cease your actions before even worse repercussions happen. You must get a hold of yourself, get control of your body! Shuvanis yelled.  
As if he were fading out of a dream Jin stopped all attacks on Shin and looked around the room bewildered. Everyone on his team looked at him in total shock, there was even a slight glimpse of fear in their eyes. Jin quickly looked away and his eyes rested on the battered body of Shin, with that Jin fell to his knees. It was a combination of the pain and the sudden guilt that plagued him. "I...almost lost it...i almost did it again..." he stammered. "How, could i let it go so far...how could i endanger all my friends..."  
Kixston jumped up into the ring and pulled up Jin. "Are you all right Kid?"  
Jin nodded and forced a smile. " I will...be just fine with some rest."   
Kixston nodded and took him out into the crowd as the announcer stepped up.  
"So who will be next to fight?" He yelled.   
Kixston sat Jin in the pit outside the ring. "Rest up kid, that looked rough..."  
Jin just nodded his head and closed his eyes for a second.  
All the noise in the room was drowned out and out of the silence came the light sound of a flute. Jin recognized it as his flute, he looked around and he was back in the forest beside the river. He saw the figure floating in the river and he put his flute in his pocket running to the bank. He saw Driretlan and then pulled her out of the water. When he realized that she was alive he forced all the water that was trapped in her lungs out, then sat beside her catching his breath. "She will be fine." he smiled pulling out his flute and losing himself in the music again only to be awoken, in a sense, by the roaring of the crowd as Kaneda stepped into the ring. 

Lunus awoke in a dark cavern, he sat up and rubbed his head. He then reached down for his weapon and found it to be missing. "What the.." he muttered.  
"Are you looking for this?" a raspy feminine voice asked coldly tapping his sword which lay in her lap.  
Lunus looked up and gazed at the woman gasping a little bit, but covering it up well. "You, how did you live?" he snapped.  
"I didn't i was revived, but by whom it is not of your concern." She snapped back. "But this piece of information is, i am going to get revenge on you for killing me."  
Lunus narrowed his eyes. "I killed you to protect my little sister." he growled. "You shouldn't have been able to inherit the power anyway, Mitara! You were nothing but scum."  
"That is only what you think my naive half brother, I was the rightful holder of the ability to unlock Shuvanis Panch, not that brat Driretlan. She should have been the one to die!" Mitara yelled standing up and stomping her foot. "She doesn't deserve them, I should have killed that whore you two called a mother when i had the chance."   
"You mean like you did to your mother, just so there wasn't a chance that another female child would be born? Father wouldn't have allowed that to happen a second time. He knew that you had done it the first time after you started to act funny when Kaneda took us to the gravesite to pay respects. You wouldn't have had the chance to kill my mother, father and Kaneda both would have stopped you and you know it." Lunus growled jumping to his feet.  
"hn. Father was a fool so was Kaneda, they didn't understand my master plan neither do you. But the one who revived me does and he will help me achieve my goal of becoming the most powerful being on the planet!"   
"That isn't possible, Driretlan has the powers now and you can't do the transferal ceremony." he chuckled  
"Oh i can't, well i have news for you. I can do it with my master's help, we can get her blood then seal her away. And there is nothing that you can do about it! Father and the whore are dead, and Kaneda doesn't even know that i or Driretlan exist thanks to that memory charm that i put on him!" she cackled  
"He knows that i exist though, if you can recall your charm wouldn't get rid of his memories of me. And if i went to him about it he would help me." Lunus smirked "You won't succeed. So give me my sword and let me end this now!"   
Mitara shook her head and glared at him. "You will learn about threatening me." her hands glowed with power and she formed a ball of energy. "DIE!"  
Lunus easily dodged by hiding behind a rock.   
How can she do that, i thought that she lost all her powers when father transferred them. Lunus thought.  
"Easy Lunus my master gave me some new powers. And unlike yours i can easily use them with out having a weapon in hand." She cackled forming another ball of energy.  
Lunus smirked and jumped out from behind the rock. "Sword!" he yelled, suddenly the sword that lay by Mitara's side was in his hand. "But i still have my old powers." he smirked. "Now what do you have to say?"  
"This should be interesting." Mitara muttered charging forward.  
Lunus met her attack with his sword, when her attack started to push him back he sent some power surging up through the sword which threw back her attack. "You may have new powers but they are weak compared my demon powers." he said coldly. "Now leave and tell your master to give up his plan before i mangle your body to where it is of no use to him."  
Mitara let out a low growl, "Never!" she charged him again with another more large scale attack.  
Lunus formed his silver flame attack around his sword and charged meeting her attack. At first there was a slight power struggle then Lunus' attack knocked her back into a wall kicking up dust. When the dust finally settled Mitara could be seen, she was bloody and battered. "Do you wish to continue?" he asked.  
Mitara hissed. "This will end soon brother, once i kill Driretlan and steal her powers i will kill you!" she yelled disappearing.  
Lunus let out a long sigh and sheathed his sword. "I must hurry to save Driretlan, otherwise Mitara and her master might get there first. And then the whole world will be endangered." Lunus shook his head. "Then all that father and Kaneda went through will be in vain." he then turned and walked out of the cavern and into the daylight. "I just hope that i can find her in time."

Kaneda pulled his sword out of the thick rock of the ring. "That was a nice dodge, but i am afraid that you won't be able to keep it up." he said. "I have to finish this match so i can finish the chapter that i was working on."   
The guy that he was fighting laughed and took a back stance. "You talk to much." he muttered lunging forward.  
Kaneda simply grabbed the guy before he could attack and threw him over his shoulder. "Too slow." he smirked turning around.  
The guy picked himself up and went for another attack. "You can't win!" he yelled.  
Kaneda simply stepped to the side and tripped the guy smirking a bit as he fell into his comrades.  
"Get out there and get him Geira!" One of his team mates yelled throwing Geira back into the ring.  
Geira let out a low growl. "no one embarrasses me.." he muttered "I will show you..." he lunged forward towards Kaneda, before he launched an attack he created a double of himself. He then launched a double attack on Kaneda.  
Kaneda blocked the small fury of punches then he knocked away both Geiras with his sword.  
Both Geiras pulled themselves up and took a back stance. "It seems as though we will have to make a few more of us, this one is crafty."  
"I'm not crafty, i am just not stupid.." Kaneda muttered.  
I had best just take care of them before they get any bright ideas. He thought.  
Kaneda pulled his sword up close to his side and locked his hands on the handle, putting his elbows in a tight position. He charged forward in almost a blur he was moving so fast. He stabbed right through the copied Geira and the body simply disappeared. "what the..." Kaneda tried to pull his sword back but it was stuck. There was a loud cracking noise and a trail of electricity appeared linking Geira with Kaneda's sword.  
"Clever isn't it, my double is just a disguise for an attack." he cackled.  
Kaneda sighed. "Well it isn't' that clever, you just gave away your only trump card. Now you have nothing else to use against me." Kaneda pulled back on his sword and it jerked Geira forward about half a step, then he bounced back like rubber.  
"You didn't think that i would give away my only ace in the start of the battle did you?" he laughed.  
"i was hoping." Kaneda muttered, "oh well i guess that i will just have to try a bit harder." he took a few steps back pulling on his sword, just as Geira started to lurch forward some, Kaneda jumped back and let go of his sword letting it fly towards Geira as the link pulled back like a rubber band.  
Geira wasn't expecting the attack and he managed to jump so the sword wouldn't stab him through the stomach, but the sword caught him in the leg, and the weight pulled him back down to the ring. he tried to stand back up, but he could only get on one knee because the heavy sword's tip was deep in his calf. "You..." he muttered glaring at Kaneda.   
Kaneda shrugged. "Well you didn't want to do it the easy way." he muttered. "but if you give up now you won't have to endure any more pain."  
Geira laughed at his proposal. "I would rather die than surrender to some scum like you."  
"So judgmental." Kaneda muttered shaking his head. He made his way over to the handle of his sword and ripped it out of Geira. He rose his sword up, "Sorry but you wanted it." he brought the sword down but before it could make contact with Geira a electric field stopped it. The field shrunk into something that resembled a stave.  
"I am not going to die that easily." Geira growled.  
"I have heard that one many times before." Kaneda said in an irritated tone.  
Geira pulled himself up and managed to shove Kaneda back. He then threw his spear at Kaneda while creating another.  
Kaneda blocked the attacks with his sword easily. Geira kept creating and throwing the spears at Kaneda who deflected them with ease.  
This guys' strategy is weak. Kaneda thought. I am going to have to show him real strategy.  
Kaneda launched himself forward and landed about twenty feet in front of Geira. He quickly scraped the shape of a five point star with a slash through it into the ring.  
"this isn't art class!" Geira yelled jumping forward.  
Kaneda sighed and shook his head. "Maybe it should be." he muttered. As Geira crossed over the symbol on the floor Kaneda yelled "Ignite!" and a fountain of flames shot up and engulfed Geira then swirled around and out in a killer display. Kaneda smirked as he watched the reddish orange flames circle out like they were a living creature of some sort. After a minuet Kaneda tapped his sword on the ground and the flames died down, leaving Geira laying on the symbol which was now charred into the ground. Kaneda walked towards the half concious Geira. "You should pay more attention to what your opponent is doing, that was a fire incantation that i was carving into the ground it means that when i signal it will ignite and engulf whomever is nearest."  
Geira looked up at him and glared before passing out.   
Kaneda just shook his head and walked over to his team mates and jumped out of the ring. "That was interesting hu?" he chuckled leaning against the ring. He reached behind his chest armor and pulled out his book.  
"Don't you ever just think or something!" Kixston snapped.  
"That is why i have it." Kaneda muttered  
"It helps you think?" Sharon asked.  
Kaneda shook his head and sighed. "You misunderstood. I have it so i don't think too much."  
"That is stupid." Kixston sneered.  
"If i think too much i become lost in my self, the ifs and whys. They just seem to consume me, there is to many gaps in my past that i cannot explain, memory gaps persay. I just don't like to think about it, i get to caught up in it. It is kinda depressing thinking about the things that you cannot remember, and why." he muttered.   
Kixston nodded, he knew how that could be, to be caught up in your own mind is a terrifying thing to happen. "Well i guess that i will fight next." he muttered.  
Sharon laughed and pointed to the other side of the ring. "No you won't there isn't anyone left. Looks like they ran away."  
There was a loud swooshing noise and a tall female with long purple and silver hair in a loose white fighting outfit suddenly appeared in front of the group. "Excuse me i take that to offence little girl. I am still here."   
Sharon jumped a little then crossed her arms. "I am not a little girl thank you."  
"Well you look it. Then again looks are deceiving eh?" the woman cackled in a cold voice. "I would fight you, but i have gotten a better offer from people of much more skill than you. All i have to do to join the winning team is kill the rest of my team, simple, no?"  
"Your sick." Ichigo said.   
"Sick, no. Just smart, they were pathetic anyway, if they lost to such beings as you. Hm and i only got the chance to see two of you fight. Sad that i can tell how pathetic you all are from just the performances of them hu?" she sneered. "Well it was nice..." she stopped for a second to scoff at them. "I am looking forward to seeing you all torn limb from limb." she added before she disappeared.  
"Talk about a bitch." Kixston sighed. "She is worse than Dri...then again..."  
"Quit while you are ahead." Kaneda muttered  
"I am guessing that we win then." Ichigo smirked.  
"Yes we should have won." Mitzuki said. "Unless there is someone else who wants to fight us while we are down here."  
"I think that we have all had enough fighting for one day." Jin smiled pulling himself to his feet. "I say that we all go get a drink and rest some."  
Kixston nodded. "that sounds good, we'll do so after i have a chat with the ref."  
Well that is one fight down, we still have some more to go, but i think that the toughest is out of the way. For me at least, well unless i am drained of power tomorrow. But i think that we would fair fine even with out my help. Jin thought. I am glad that we are closer to our goal, we are sure to get that weapon and secure that we all will be safe from the unleashed power of the Shuvanis Panch for at least a while longer. We still need to gather the other weapons though..  
"Hey something up kid?" Kixston asked as he walked by. "We are out of here, we officially have one match down, so lets get going."  
Jin nodded and smiled and slowly walked after them.

Driretlan let out a low growl while she followed Darius up a forested hillside carrying a large bag on her back. "and what the hell is this supposed to do for me!"  
"This is to build up your stamina." he smirked looking over his shoulder at her.  
"More like your stamina. First you beat me up then you dragg me up some hill, oh yea this is doing a lot for me." she growled.  
"You should look at the bigger picture, what do you usually do after a hard fight." he asked.  
"Hmm, let me think. You know i think that i REST like normal people do. I don't know what you do, you probably do some freaky ceremony with your little monk friends." she muttered.  
"Oh yes that is exactly what i do." he sighed rolling his eyes. "You are pathetic you know that right?"  
"I didn't but thanks for the tip." she muttered heaving the heavy bag on her back up while jumping over a stump. "what is in this stupid bag anyway?" she added.  
Darius smirked slyly "You will find out when we reach the top, but it is helping you gain strength."  
"Oh i am sure of that." she muttered. "you and your freaky little training routines, you are like a screwed up version of Kixston. If that is possible."  
Darius sighed. "Maybe we should step this up a notch, apparently you are not worn out enough if you can still talk that much." Darius took off up the hill taking it in leaps in bounds, once he got off to a start his speed kept increasing until he was going so fast that all you saw was a blur.  
"Great, now i have to keep up with him, while i have this on my back. My lucky day." Driretlan muttered running up the hill after him. She had a hard time maneuvering since she had a large amount of weight on her back. She trailed far behind Darius but she still kept an eye on him, and the longer that she ran the easier the pack became to carry. Well that is how it seemed anyway. As she neared the top of the hill she saw the reddish glow of the sun poking through the trees and dancing across the ground.  
There was a loud snapping noise behind her and before she could slow enough to turn someone kicked her hard and she was sent flying through the trees and rolling into the clearing atop of the hill.  
"You should have been able to avoid that." Darius sneered walking into the clearing.  
"Oh, i am sorry. It might have been the extra three hundred pounds on my back weighing my down a little!" She yelled pulling the bag off her back and hopping up. "And what the hell is in that!" she yelled pointing at the bag.  
"Large stones with energy draining sutras attached."   
"Why did you do that? What is the point in draining my energy!" she yelled.  
"It only drains about twenty percent of your energy. Making you dig deeper and tap other energies with out even knowing it. Training you to build up strength." Darius said satisfied with himself.  
"That is the most retarded thing i have ever heard. Putting sutras on rocks, you have really lost it." she muttered sitting down.  
"well you had best not complain about the sutras on the rocks because soon enough you will get your own little set that you will get to wear everywhere." Darius smirked  
"You asshole." she muttered "What makes you think that i will wear them?"  
"Because you have no choice, that is why. And you won't be able to remove them only i will."   
Driretlan let out a low growl and jumped up spinning around to face him. "So what is next oh gracious master! Restraints!" she yelled  
Darius put his hand on his chin. "You know i never thought of that." he smirked. "Thanks for the idea."  
Driretlan let out a long sigh. "I am going to sit down and shut up now." she plopped down onto the ground and watched the sun sink beyond the horizon.  
I hope that the others are having a better time than i am. I am stuck in hell with a wanna be Kixston. Driretlan thought.   
She felt a soft unnatural breeze that seemed to murmur. 'Don't get so discouraged, i will be back soon. I'll make sure that everything is okay, I swear it. '  
Driretlan brought her knees to her chest and muttered. "Lunus...Still you haunt me.."

Azrath walked into Johnny's throne room and knelt before his throne.  
"Do you bring news on Hotaru's progress?" He asked leaning forward a bit.  
"Yes i do master, She has progressed beyond the first round, she is set to match a team of fighters from the black desert next round. I believe that she will easily over take them." Azrath reported  
Johnny nodded. "Indeed, maybe all of this will teach her to not disobey me." he sighed. "Are the fire demon and her half vampire companions competing?"  
Azrath shook his head. "The demon Driretlan has not been spotted in that area. Spies say that she still is on the island, but all her companions are in the competition in the desert outside Aviris."  
Johnny let out a long sigh. "No matter, i will just have to kill her after those others. Once Mitara has her power, Driretlan is of no use to me. She will just get in my way along with her friends."  
Azrath nodded. "Will you be waiting until after you have the weapon sire?"  
Johnny smirked. "That is something for me to know and for you to find out. It will be done either way, even if i have to take them out one by one. I could even indulge myself with it a bit. I haven't used hardly any of my more entertaining powers lately."  
Azrath got a spark in his eye and jumped a little bit. "Do you intend to use the hellfire spell on them master? I think that it would be quite entertaining to watch them squirm while it takes effect."  
"I will consider it Azrath. There are many ways that i can torment them with out even having to lay a finger on them. I find mind games quite intriguing." he smirked rising from his throne. "I am going to see if Mitara has made any progress."  
A shadowed figure came into the room. "There is no need master. I am here." Mitara said stepping out of the shadows.  
"Good, did you kill Lunus?" Johnny asked taking his seat once more.  
"No, he is alive. He took my by surprise." She mumbled walking in front of the throne kneeling and putting her head down in shame. "I am sorry master, next time i will not fail."   
Johnny let out a low growl. "Do you know how disastrous it would be if he finds Driretlan! Even more so now that he knows you have risen! this could ruin everything!"  
"I will kill him next time master i swear it to you." Mitara siad looking up.  
Johnny let out a long sigh rubbing his forehead. "You had best, otherwise there will be sever consequences." he stared her dead in the eyes for a moment "Now get to it. I don't want them reunited, he will be harder to kill with her around."  
Mitara nodded. "Yes master, I will do that." she then slinked out of the room.  
Johnny looked to Azrath. "I want you to follow her and make sure that the job gets done. I don't' want a huge mess to clean up."  
Azrath nodded. "Yes master." he bowed and disappeared in a pillar of fire.  
"This is going to get out of hand, I can feel it." Johnny muttered. "I think that it is time i recruited a new field agent to take Lunus' place." He slowly rose from his throne and stretched out his wings. He quickly disappeared only leaving behind a small pillar of smoke.

Jin sat on the roof of the small hut where his team was staying playing a low melody on his flute, it seemed to weave through the night air creating an air of peacefulness.  
Kixston sat on the ground at the base of the building with his arms crossed and his eyes closed listening to the melody and humming along with it. He leaned his head against the building and let out a long sigh. Wind rustled through his hair and dust blew up them into a small whirlwind. "You know Jin, you... are something else. Don't get to much of a big head over it though."   
Jin smiled and pulled the flute away from his lips. "I am...nothing special. I just am trying to protect the people that I care about." he smiled looking up at the cloud specked night sky.   
Kixston chuckled. "You sound righteous, just don't set your heart on totally saving your friends, you can't do it all the time." Kixston let out a small sigh. "You will be crushed when you fail. Trust me i would know." he slowly rose to his feet and started to walk off towards the desert.  
"Where are you going?" Jin asked.  
"To find a piece of my self." He muttered waving at Jin. "Maybe you will understand someday kid."  
"Allright, just watch yourself out there Kixston." Jin said sighing.  
"Hey, don't worry about me, there is nothing that anyone here could do to me that hasn't already been tried." He laughed. "They wouldn't stand a chance." Kixston walked out into pale moon light sands of the desert night.  
"He is too sad for his own good." Jin sighed as he lifted his flute to his lips again. Soon the low melody again weaved through the night air, giving the area a false sense of peace. He played for several minuets almost losing himself in the melody, then he just pulled the flute away from his lips and held it between his fingers looking out into the night.  
Ichigo walked out of the building and looked up at Jin smiling a bit. "You look better, already, that is good. Oh, and dinner is ready you should come in and eat something."  
Jin nodded. "I will be inside in a minuet." he smiled putting his flute in his pocket.  
"Okay, where is Kixston? I thought that he was out here with you."  
"He was, but he wanted to go get some air. He said for us not to worry that he would be back." Jin smiled sliding off the roof. "Besides, I think that he can take care of himself." He started to limp inside.  
Ichigo sighed. "Your right Jin." she muttered walking behind him into the hut.  
I just can't help but worry about him sometimes, he likes to isolate himself a lot and he always seems kinda down. Maybe I'll slip out after dinner and look for him. Ichigo thought.  
"About time you got in here Jin, all the food is going to be gone before you can eat any." Mitzuki teased handing him a bowl.  
Jin smiled. "I am glad that I came in then." He took the bowl and sat down in the corner.  
Ichigo got a small bowl of food and ate while everyone else was busy talking. Then once she was done she slipped out into the night and into the desert.  
The night air was cooler than she thought that it would be with the heavy breeze that was blowing, but she shrugged it off and followed Kixston's footprints.  
Well at least he will be easy to find if his footprints don't blow away. Ichigo thought.  
The wind made a low hissing noise as it ripped across the sand picking up to higher speeds. Soon the sand was blinding Ichigo and she was regretting that she even came looking for Kixston.  
Ahead she could see figures walking at her, but the wall of wind blown sand made it impossible to know who they were. "Hello!" she yelled.  
The figures didn't respond they just kept walking towards her steadily increasing their speed.  
Ichigo stopped walking. "Maybe they can help me out." she muttered as she dug her shoes into the sand a little, she felt like the wind was going to topple her over so she had to make sure that she had a semi sturdy base incase the wind speeds spiked while she was waiting.  
When Ichigo could clearly make out what the figures looked like they were about five feet away. It was a group of horrid looking men, with long, nappy hair and crooked jagged teeth. Their eyes had a light red glow to them and when they saw Ichigo they made a low hissing noise.  
"I don't think that this was the best of ideas now." She murmured reaching for her weapon. She slowly drew the shuriken off her back waiting to see if the men made any sort of move for an attack..  
They began to circle around her like starving wolves around a large elk. One of them jumped towards Ichigo, but got stabbed in the shoulder with the shuriken. It hissed and tried to pull out the weapon, but Ichigo was too quick, she yanked it out and went into a defensive position.  
I am starting tho think that this wasn't the best Idea that i have ever had, oh well these things aren't the hardest things that i have ever had to fight, so i should be fine. She thought as she slowly turned around so that she could keep all three of the creatures in her sight at once.  
Every once in a while one would take a step forward as if to challenge Ichigo, but they would always back off when she rose her weapon. Soon they started to murmur and look amongst each other as if they were communicating, finally one of the creatures stopped dead in it's tracks and it's misshapen eyes met Ichigo's. "You might as well give up, you will succumb to us." it hissed. Then as if in a move of desperation all three of the men charged at once.  
Ichigo batted off the two and the last one latched onto her shoulder taking a huge bite out of it. She swung her shuriken around and slammed on of the points into the creature's face. While she was preoccupied the two other creatures decided to attack her. They charged at her and almost landed their attacks when someone grabbed Ichigo and pulled her away from her attackers.  
When she was sat down in the sand she looked up to see Kixston. "You know that it isn't safe out here right?" he said  
Ichigo nodded. "I had to find you though."  
Kixston rolled his eyes, "Whatever." he muttered turning around. He ran back over to the two creatures and grabbed each one by the throats. He squeezed tighter and tighter until his nails broke through their skin. Kixston bashed the two creatures heads together and there was a loud crack heard. He dropped the bodies to the ground and drew his sword. "Take this gangrel scum." he muttered stabbing the sword through one of their hearts. It glowed that dull gray color as the remaining energy in the Grangel's body was transferred to his. He did this one by one to all three of the creature's, with Ichigo sitting by in pure shock of what was happening.  
"What...what was that?" she stammered.  
"that is something that curbs my hunger and keeps me alive." He muttered walking over to her and pulling her off of the sand. "Now get back to the others."  
Ichigo shook her head. "You shouldn't be out here alone either." She protested  
"It is obvious that i can handle myself better than you can yourself. Besides, my alone time is the only thing that keeps me from killing you all." he said shrugging. "I am just not a people person, so why don't you head back."  
Ichigo shook her head. "I will not."  
Kixston let out a long sigh. "I hate people who are hard headed." he picked up Ichigo and threw her over his shoulder, then headed back towards the huts. "You will find that it is much easier to listen to me than to not to."  
Ichigo let out a low growl and punched him on the back. "You are a jerk."  
"I will take that as a compliment, so did the kid let you just walk out of there with out asking any questions?"  
"No, I just took it upon myself to come out here and find you to cheer you up." She smiled  
"I don't need cheering." he muttered.  
I need for something to go right for once, that and i want to be the hell off this continent and back on my island. Kixston thought.

Lunus sat beside a small fire roasting a fish on the end of his sword. He let out a long sigh and brushed his bangs out of his face with his other hand. His green eyes reflected the firelight making it seem alive. The flames jumped up as he willed them mentally, he smirked at this, for he hadn't done it in a long time.  
One thing that Lunus truly enjoyed to do was manipulate things with his powers, the only things he could manage to manipulate were fire and teleporting objects, but he still found it amusing. He pulled his fish out of the flames and allowed it to cool for a moment before he even brought his lips close to it. He watched the steam rise from it as he held it in front of him, he blew at it lightly causing it to drift off into the damp night. He sunk his teeth into the fish and it burned his tongue but he ignored it and proceeded eating it pulling out the occasional bone.  
This isn't right, I shouldn't be sitting here eating my food like there is nothing better for me to be doing. Lunus thought. But i can't let myself starve to death, i know she can take care of herself for a period of time at least. I need to come up with some plan better than wandering towards the monastery.  
He pulled his food away from his mouth and slid the fish off of his sword tossing it into the fire. "Look what you have done now, you made yourself lose your appitite. You think way too damn much Lunus. You are going to drive yourself insane, you can't always protect her." he muttered as he watched the flames consume what was his dinner. "I am too family oriented."  
He stared deeply into the flames and he could see the faces of his parents smiling back at him, he remembered the long speech that he was given at the ceremony, where Mitara's powers were transferred to Driretlan, that his father had given him about taking care of her. He was her soul guardian, the one who was supposed to watch over her and ensure that everything went according to plan when she came of age.  
But the plan didn't work dad, I failed both you and mom. I came too late to save you, you both died there in front of her and there was nothing either of us could do but run. Forgive me.  
Lunus slumped down and looked into the fire, he could see the scenes of his parents death reflected in the flames. The sweat on his hands felt thick like their blood did on that day, he remembered his mother's screams well, they had etched into his brain from the first seconds that they escaped from her throat. The sounds of the forest slowly began to transform into the scream that often haunted his dreams and Lunus recoiled into a tight sitting position with his arms across his chest. His breath quickened as he was sucked deeper and deeper into the memory and the whirlwind of emotions that came with it.  
Everything quickly built up to be too much for him to handle and he picked up his sword and slammed it into the large tree that stood behind him. It made a loud cracking noise as it fell towards him, he moved to the side and allowed it to fall on top of the fire, snuffing it out. He clenched his sword and caught his breath. He shook all thoughts related to the memory and sat next to the fallen tree leaning on it some.  
"I should rest...there are things that need to be done in the morning." he muttered mentally cursing at himself for letting his thoughts and memories control him. Lunus laid down and pulled his cloak up using it as a pillow. There was a small patch where the night sky could be seen through the tangle of leaves. He quickly lost himself in the vastness of the night and then drifted off into a thoughtless sleep still holding his sword in his right hand.


End file.
